o 





A NARRATIVE 



THE NAVAL PART 

OF THE 

EXPEDITION TO PORTUGAL, 

UNDER 

THE ORDERS OF HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, 



DOM PEDRO, 



DUKE OF BRAG A N Z A. 



By CAPTAIN MINS, 

KXIGHT OF THE TOWER AND SWORD ; DATE SECOND IN COMMAND OF THE SOUADRON, 
&C. &C. &C. 



WITH 

A VINDICATION OF HIMSELF, 

AGAINST 

THE ASPERSIONS OF VICE-ADMIRAL SERTORIUS, 

AND 

HIS SECRETARY, CAPTAIN BOID. 



An tibi Mavors 

Ventosa in lingua pedibusque fugacibus istis 
Semper erit ? 




ilontron ; 

SHERWOOD, GILBERT, and PIPER, 

PATERNOSTER ROW. 
1833. 




PRINTED BY T. BRETTELL, RUPERT STREET, HAYMARKET. 



TO HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, 
DOM PEDRO, 
DUKE OF BRAGANZA, 
REGENT OF PORTUGAL, 

&c. &c. &c. 

Sire, 

I am emboldened to dedicate, without 
permission, the following pages to Your Majesty, 
more by the recollection of the emphatic manner 
in which I was once told, when under the cloud 
of Vice- Admiral Sertorius's accusations, "Goto 
" the Minister of Marine, and you shall have 
" justice done you," than by the grateful sense 
I entertain of the condescending urbanity, with 
which, while serving under Your Majesty, my 
poor attempts to aid the cause of your illustrious 
Daughter were ever noticed, though that alone 
would have sufficed to have induced a hope, 
that the liberty would be pardoned. 

b 



vi 



DEDICATION. 



Your Majesty may be surprised to learn, 
from the perusal of these pages, that the Vice- 
Admiral has, by a fresh intrigue, endeavoured 
to injure me in the opinion of the Minister 
of Marine ; but there can be no difficulty 
in appreciating the motives which have ac- 
tuated him in renewing his accusations against 
me. The man who could revile Your Majesty, 
insult your Aide-de-camp, and pour forth the 
most unfounded invectives against those pa- 
triotic Portuguese, who have under every 
difficulty preserved their fidelity, and who have 
endured every privation in the struggle to 
restore their legitimate Sovereign to the throne, 
was not likely to show much forbearance to 
one under his command, who had declined 
becoming a party to the conspiracy, formed 
before the expedition sailed from St. Michael's, 
to keep up a false alarm, in order to render 
himself of apparent importance ; nor was it 
to be expected that his hostility towards myself 



DEDICATION. 



vii 



would be mitigated, by my refusal to repress my 
feelings, when I saw that the squadron under 
his command, was not allowed to give that 
co-operation which the service required, and 
for which it was, in force, perfectly efficient: 
but since, after the squadron had been rescued 
from his hands, and he had left the shores of 
Portugal in disgrace, his insinuations against 
me have been listened to by a branch of the 
Portuguese Government; and their represen- 
tative in this country has not been directed to 
communicate to me the letter of the 29th of June, 
written respecting me, I am compelled again to 
ask for Justice. That I shall receive justice 
from the Government of Her Most Faithful 
Majesty, your illustrious Daughter, I no more 
doubt, than that the Vice-Admiral will pursue 
me with unceasing hatred ; but whatever the 
result may be of his machinations against 
myself, I thank God, that they have failed to 
injure the cause of Portuguese liberty, while 



viii 



DEDICATION. 



I fervently pray, that your illustrious Daughter 
may sway in peace and happiness, the realm 
which the sword has rescued from oppression, 
and that Your Majesty's life may be long 
preserved a blessing to a liberated nation. 

With the most unfeigned sentiments 

of respect and attachment, 

I have the honour to subscribe myself 
Sire, 

Your Majesty's most humble and 
Most obedient Servant, 

PETER MINS, 
Capitao de Mar e Guerre. 

72, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, 
London, 
November 23rd, 1833. 



ADVERTISEMENT. 



I am aware, that when differences arise between 
two officers, the prejudices of many of the profession 
are so strong in favour of the senior, that the junior 
will do well to submit in silence to much misrepre- 
sentation; and therefore, if Vice-Admiral Sertorius 
had been content to palliate^ among his friends, his 
recent command of the Portuguese Constitutional 
Squadron, by attributing his inefficiency to a want 
of zealous co-operation on my part, I should either 
not have intruded myself on the public at all, or have 
confined myself to showing, in the most respectful 
manner, that he had not duly appreciated my services: 
I should merely have reminded him, that, " whenever 
<e an officer fails to win the affections of those who 
" are under his command, he may be assured that 
b 3 



X 



ADVERTISEMENT. 



the fault is chiefly in himself* ; " and I should have 
left it to others to testify how prompt I ever was 
to render him the most effectual support, and to 
uphold him, as a point of duty, in the opinion of 
the seamen ^ even on occasions on which, if I had 
yielded to my feelings, I should have left him to 
the consequences of his folly. 

No one, I presume, will deny that, in extreme 
cases, it would be imperative on the junior officer 
to speak out, and fearlessly impeach the conduct 
of his superior officer; as for instance, in the very 
improbable event of a British expedition failing, in 
consequence of the cowardice, incapacity, or treachery 
of the commander, though that commander should 
be supported by the ministry, and an appeal to the 
public, were the only means of bringing him to jus- 
tice; and I believe it is as indisputable, that it is 
not only justifiable, but absolutely necessary, for the 
junior officer to take some steps for vindicating his 
character, if his superior officer should either publicly 
assert, or privately insinuate, that he had committed 

* Souther's Life of Nelson. 



ADVERTISEMENT. 



a fraud on his Government — that he had robbed a 
vessel which he had detained — that he had exhibited 
scandalous cowardice— -that he had been guilty of an 
atrocious falsehood- — that he had permitted his ship 
to be constantly in a state of mutiny — that he had 
broken an arrest — or absconded from a court-martial. 

There is not one of these personal imputations, 
which my late Commander, assisted by his Secretary, 
has not cast upon me ; — from all of them, if I could 
have obtained a legal court-martial, I could readily 
have cleared myself ; from some of them I have 
reason to believe, I was freed by an illegal court of 
inquiry, which my commander assembled; but he has 
kept the proceedings of that court involved in much 
obscurity, and its decision did not suffice to moderate 
the rancour of his tongue. I, therefore, finding that I 
could not obtain a fair and open trial, availed myself of 
a declaration the Vice-Admiral had made in his cabin, 
before all the officers of the squadron, of his always 
having a plain coat ready, in which to meet any of 
his officers, to whom he gave offence; and, I trust, 
I shall not be censured for having invited him to put 
it on. 



ADVERTISEMENT. 



It was not till I could neither obtain an expla- 
nation from him, or prevail on him to meet me, 
that I thought it impossible for me to avoid publish- 
ing a narrative of his conduct, and my own, during 
the time we Were in the service of Portugal: but 
while I was preparing it for the press, I, in com- 
pliance with the advice of one of high rank in the 
profession, tried to extort from him, by inserting a 
letter in the public papers, an open declaration of all 
which he had to allege against me. This he met by 
announcing that my singularly unreflecting impru- 
dence obliged him, with reluctance and regret, to 
give publicity to the following letter, as a sample of 
what he had in reserve of a similar nature 

Most illustrious and most excellent Sir, 

A letter having been addressed by Vice-Admiral Sertorius (No. 54>), 
dated the 7th instant, reporting that Post-Captain Mins had received 
Various sums of money, belonging to some sailors of the squadron, 
which had not been received by them, His Imperial Majesty, the Duke 
of Braganza, as Regent in the name of the Queen, ordered, that the 
said captain should reply to the articles of inculpation contained in 
the said official letter from the Vice- Admiral. That officer replied to 
the letter in question in a vague manner on the 21st, and having been 
ordered on the 23rd to give bail (fianqa) for the settlement of his 
account, he absconded from this city, without either a passport or 
leave, and was in consequence considered a deserter. His Imperial 



ADVERTISEMENT. 



xiii 



Majesty accordingly resolved that a copy of the correspondence in 
question should he transmitted to your Excellency, not only to prevent 
his deceiving the Ministers of Her Most Faithful Majesty with false 
representations, but also that your Excellency and the Marquess of 
Funchal (whom you will make acquainted with this dispatch), may be 
enabled to reply to any demands, or inquiries, that may be made 
with respect to the said Mins. 

" God preserve your Excellency, 
(Signed) " THE MARQUESS OF LOULE. 

" Dated Palace of Oporto, June 29, 1833. 
" Addressed to His Excellency the Chevalier de Lima." 

By what means the Marquess of Louie's signature 
was obtained to this, or how Vice-Admiral Sertorius 
procured the copy, I am not yet able to explain ; but 
both are in the course of investigation ; nor will I let 
the matter rest, until the whole of this ridiculous 
conspiracy against me is fully exposed. Instead of 
being intimidated by the sample, I am resolved that the 
bulk shall be broken, and I am more than ever con- 
vinced of the necessity of the course which I had 
resolved to adopt, of compelling publicity of every 
thing connected with my conduct. Who, after noting 
the date of the above, the 29th of June, will not be 
surprised to read the following ? 



xiv 



ADVERTISEMENT. 



" Baker Street, 24M August, 1833. 

" Sir, 

" In answer to your letter of yesterday, I beg leave to inform you, 
that I have no authority from His Excellency the Minister of Marine, 
to grant leave of absence, but will forward your letter to Lisbon by the 
next packet, this being all in my power to do. 

" Pray accept my thanks for your kind congratulations, and 
believe me, 

" Sir, 

" Your very obedient servant, 
" CHEVALIER D'ABRUE E LIMA." 

" Captain Mins, 
" #c. <yc." 

On this subject, I need only here add, that I had 
no order, on the 23rd of June, to give bail for the 
settlement of my accounts ; that instead of having been 
considered as a deserter, I have since been called upon 
to sign certificates of the pay due to the seamen, and 
of the pensions to which they are entitled ; and that I 
did not even know of the existence of the letter of the 
Marquess of Louie, until, to the mutual astonishment 
of the Portuguese authorities and myself, it appeared 
in print. A volume of such trash will not answer 
one page of the following narrative, in which I defend 
myself from the aspersions of the Vice- Admiral and 



ADVERTISEMENT. 



XV 



his Secretary ; I trust the public will think that my 
vindication is complete ; and that I deal with them 
rightly, in treating them, not as one officer would 
treat another who had offended him, but as a man 
is obliged to deal with those who have assailed him 
with the most intolerable libels. 

P. MINS. 



November 23, 1833. 
No. 72, Great Russell Street, 
Bloomsbury> London, 



NARRATIVE. 



About the end of the year 1830*, R. G. Sertorius 
was invited by the agents of Her Most Faithful Majesty 
Donna Maria Segunda of Portugal, to take the 
command of the naval part of an armament, which 
they were endeavouring to fit out, for the purpose of 
restoring the young Queen to the throne of her 
ancestors : and having assented to their proposal, he 
soon afterwards spoke to me on the subject, requesting 
me to join him in the expedition. On my at first 
declining to do so, a conversation ensued between us, 

* I was introduced to Sertorius when he came in the Pyramus, to 
Malta, where I happened to be on duty; and not in 1831, by Captain 
Boid, as he has asserted ; insinuating, that I wished to seek employ* 
ment under him. Sertorius sought me. 

B 



PORTUGUESE LOAH. 



in the course of which, the consequences to which we 
might render ourselves liable, by entering the service 
of Her Most Faithful Majesty, were discussed ; and 
he promised, in the event of my accepting a commis- 
sion in the Portuguese navy, that I should be indem- 
nified, before I left my own country, by the receipt of 
a sum of money equivalent to the loss I might incur ; 
adding, that he himself should have rejected the offer 
which had been made to him, if he had not been 
assured of receiving the like indemnity. 

Under the security of this promise, and after due 
consideration, I acceded to his request, telling him that 
I would trust to his honour to do all that was right 
in order to guard, by a present arrangement, against 
my ultimate ruin: and a negociation being now 
opened with Mr. Maberly for a loan, I soon became, 
in conjunction with Sertorius, occupied, in the dif- 
ferent docks, in examining ships of war that were 
suited to our purpose ; but, the loan not being 
obtained, no progress could be made in the purchase 
of any. 

Dom Pedro however having, quite unexpectedly. 



PREPARATIONS, 



3 



arrived in this country, in a British man of war, this 
event gave fresh spirit to the enterprise ; and a loan 
was effected about the beginning of September 1831, 
under the sanction of His Imperial Majesty, and 
through the assistance of a few zealous individuals. 
The Congress, a Swedish frigate of forty-six guns, 
and the Asia, sl frigate formerly in the English 
service, which were then, under peculiar circum- 
stances, to be sold considerably under their real value, 
were purchased for the sum of 19,000/. ; and the 
Juno, of five hundred tons, was bought to carry 
troops. These ships were lying in the City CanaL 
Every exertion was used to fit them out, and get 
them ready for sea: but these preparations were 
obliged to be carried on in secret, as Dom Miguel's 
numerous spies were constantly on the alert, and by 
many false reports alarmed the workmen, and retarded 
the progress of the work. I was ordered to proceed 
to Plymouth, to get warrant officers; but although 
I engaged three gunners, three boatswains, and three 
carpenters, they were not eventually taken with us. 
Having been sent, soon afterwards, to Bristol for 



PREPARATIONS FOR SAILING. 



seamen, and having engaged two hundred, I could 
not get any instructions with respect to them ; and, 
after waiting some time, I was positively obliged to 
leave the place, to escape being incessantly tormented 
by the pressing inquiries of the men. No steps were 
afterwards taken to renew the engagement with them ; 
to me a very discouraging circumstance, as they 
would have been of great value to the service. In 
November, the two frigates, and the Juno, were ready 
for sea ; the Congress was in the Downs ; the other 
two at Gravesend. They were cleared for a French 
port, in the name of a French merchant, the apparent 
purchaser of them : their crews were only sufficient 
to work them on the passage, and no warlike stores of 
any description were shipped on board them ; yet, so 
active were the agents of Dom Miguel, that, at their 
instigation, the authorities of the Custom-House 
seized the vessels. After the loss, however, of some 
little time, they were released, as the Government, 
from the nature of their ostensible destination, found 
it impossible, legally, to detain them. 

Orders were sent to the Congress, and I was dis- 



A HEAVY GALE. 



5 



patched to Gravesend to hasten the departure of the 
others ; and on my return I was ordered to Liverpool, 
with twelve other officers, of different ranks, to 
procure a steamer to take men on board ; and on the 
9th of December, with fifteen officers and two hundred 
seamen, I sailed in the Lord Bluyney, I shall not 
easily forget the scene of confusion and riot that 
occurred in getting the men on board ; they were 
almost all drunk, and the next day clamorous in 
their complaints. Some had lost money, some clothes, 
and all appeared in one way or other to have suffered. 
After we had been at sea two days, a heavy gale 
obliged us to put into Milford Haven. As soon as 
we had anchored, the men came to me, and declared 
it was their determination not to go any farther, as 
they felt sure that they were to be employed in 
the Brazilian service, and, with great injustice tq 
that brave and good officer, they said they had 
not formerly been paid by Lord Cochrane. All 
my endeavours to quiet them were unavailing. I 
therefore told them, that we wanted volunteers only ; 
and that if they liked, they might all go on shore, 



6 



BOUNTY TO THE MEN. 



as soon as they heard the few words I had to 
say. I then briefly explained to them, that the 
heads of the Royal Family of Portugal were con- 
tending for the throne, and that it was our intention 
to take the part of Donna Maria, the lawful Queen. 
I told them that, if they remained with us, they would- 
be well paid ; and that they might be confident of 
receiving their pay regularly, as the money would be 
placed in the hands of the Admiral for that purpose. 
Sertorius, an English officer, would, I said, be our 
admiral, and the ships would be officered and manned 
by Englishmen only ; — provisions would be served out 
to them as in the British navy ; the rules and discipline 
be the same as in that service. They would also be 
entitled to prize money, and at the end of one year, 
or eighteen months at the furthest, get their discharge, 
receiving all pay due to them, and a gratuity of six 
months extra pay. They seemed pleased with this 
explanation. I begged them to think of it, and told 
them, that those who wished to go on shore should 
do so the next morning. I flattered myself I should 
not lose many of them, but I was disappointed ; — 



BELLE ISLE. 



about one hundred left the vessel in a most mutinous 
and outrageous manner. I mustered those who re- 
mained, and found, with pleasure, that the worst had 
quitted. I sent a list of them back to Liverpool, 
desiring that their advance tickets should be stopped, 
as I felt persuaded their departure had been caused 
more by their wish to cheat those persons who bad 
lent them money on these tickets, than by any real 
dislike to the service on which they were entering. 

There remained on board the Lord Blayney steamer 
one hundred good men. With these we left Milford, 
on the 14th December, for Belle Isle, to join the ships 
there. To Captain Wilson, who commanded the 
steamer, our warmest thanks are due for his gentle- 
manly conduct to us ; while his exertions to keep the 
men on board well merit the highest consideration of 
the Constitutionalists. Up to this time, I had never 
been able to get sight of the contract, which Sertorius 
had made, on behalf of himself and us, with the 
agents of the Queen, though I had frequently re- 
quested to see it, and had as often asked, when the 
promised sum was to be paid to me. Sertorius told 



8 



RATE OF PAY. 



me to rely on him ; the money should be paid before 
I left England*. Unfortunately for me, as the sequel 
will show, I gave too much confidence to his as- 
surances. 

An English officer of rank had been commissioned 
to engage about one thousand troops; but this pro- 
ject was abandoned, partly, on account of the diffi- 
culty of getting them sent to Terceira, and partly, 
because the intrigues of some of the persons employed 
in this service (intrigues which eventually occasioned 
serious quarrels) began, even in the outset, to injure 
the cause, which the expedition was intended to 
support. It had been originally intended, that Cap- 

* The following is the rate of pay that was to be received by each 
individual in the service : — 

Table Money. 
£. s. d. £. s. d. 

Vice Admiral .... per day 4 4 0.. 3 3 

Captains per month 38 7 .. 1616 

Commanders do. 23 4 8 8 

All other officers the same as in the British Navy, with an allowance 
to the Gun-room officers of 4/. 4s., and to the Midshipman's berth of 
21. 2s. per month, as table-money ; 31. to the petty officers ; 21. 5s. to 
A. B.'s ; and to all the other classes in proportion. The wounded and 
the widows of the killed were to receive the same pensions as they 
would have respectively been entitled to in the British Navy. 



BELLE ISLE. 



9 



tain Hodges, with the rank of Major, should have the 
command of the Marines of all the ships, and that 
each ship should have only the complement requisite 
for her service ; but when the plan of procuring land 
troops was given up, it was determined that the num- 
ber of the Marines should be augmented, and that he 
should have the command, on shore, of those that 
were not wanted on board ; — an arrangement, which, 
together with the ridiculous dislike to the Marine 
service, and the difficulty of enforcing on some of 
those engaged as Marines, obedience to naval disci- 
pline, subsequently proved not only the cause of much 
inconvenience to the Navy, but often, even endan- 
gered the safety of the ships. 

Heavy gales and foul winds prevented our reaching 
the roadstead of Belle Isle till the 18th, where the 
Admiral arrived the same day. We found the Con- 
gress, Asia, and Juno at anchor, but in the same state 
as when they left England, none of the ships having 
arrived with stores for them. The men who had 
brought them out were in a state of revolt, on find- 
ing that the promises to pay them, and send them 
b 5 



10 



ANECDOTES 



back to England immediately, were both unfulfilled. 
This first breach of faith, injurious to the officers, 
and more so to the men, was deeply felt by both ; and 
all the Admiral's attempts to pacify the latter, even 
the raising the A. B.'s pay 15s. sl month, were unsatis- 
factory, and we had to await in idleness, the arrival 
of vessels. I took up my quarters on shore, and we 
were kindly treated by the French. Before, how- 
ever, I take leave of the Lord Blayney, I must intro- 
duce an anecdote or two, characteristic of the pecu- 
liarities of sailors. I ordered the men to go on board 
the Admiral's ship, but they had taken such a fancy 
to the officers whom I had placed in regular watch, 
that they could not be persuaded to leave the steamer, 
unless their officers went with them. In this dilemma 
I was obliged to request the Admiral's presence. He 
addressed them, telling them he was glad to find they 
liked their officers, and that they should certainly 
serve with them, but that for the present, he wished 
them to go on board his ship, Captain Mins not yet 
having one : as soon as he had, they should, he pro- 
mised, rejoin him. Backed by this assurance, I 



OF THE SAILORS. 



11 



succeeded in getting them to obey me ; but in the 
interim they had by some means got more to drink 
than they ought to have had. One of the number 
asked me if they were to fight under an English flag, 
as he did not like to fight under any other. I told 
him all the officers and men would be English, and 
that as he would have to keep up the English name, 
and display British courage, it mattered little what 
flag was flying. This would not do for him ; he 
swore he would fight under no flag but that of 
England. As he was rather drunk, I thought it as 
well to humour him ; I therefore told him to get 
the English flag painted on his hat, and to keep it 
always on his head, and that then he would be certain 
of always fighting under English colours. This sug- 
gestion produced a hearty laugh among the men, and 
I never heard any more of this difficulty. 

On the 23rd, the Sir Joseph Banks steamer, after a 
long passage, contrary gales having obliged her to put 
back several times, arrived from London, with one 
hundred and eighty-four seamen. She reported to 
us that the Fairlie, laden with all our stores, had 



12 



CAPTAIN CROSBIE. 



returned to Plymouth, dismasted. By the 31st, the 
Superb steamer, with one hundred and sixty-four 
men, several smaller vessels, and the Terceira, an 
armed schooner, with a few more men, had arrived ; 
and we were getting on in fitting out the ships, the 
names of which, by the Emperor's desire, had been 
changed. The Congress was called the Rainha da 
Portugal; and the Asia, the Donna Maria Segunda. 

On New Year s day, the Admiral sent for me, and, 
though very ill, I went on board his ship, when he 
informed me, he intended to appoint me Captain of 
the Donna Maria Segunda ; an appointment which 
I positively declined, till he assured me that I should 
not, by accepting it, supersede Captain Crosbie, as 
that officer, he said, having already been relieved 
from the command, had left the ship three days 
before. 

As Captain Crosbie appears, by his subsequent 
demeanour towards me, still to be imbued with some 
prejudice against me, in consequence of my having 
then taken command of this ship, I shall here, in the 
hope of disabusing his mind on the subject, enter into 



CAPTAIN CROSBIE. 



13 



a detail of the circumstances connected with, and 
which led to, my appointment to her. 

When I first agreed to join Sertorius in the expe- 
dition, it was arranged, that we were to take rank, 
according to the place in which we stood on another 
list. Only one officer senior to me was then engaged, 
and he soon after retired ; on which occasion, and this 
was before the purchase of the frigates was concluded, 
Sertorius said to me, " As you have stuck to me 
through every difficulty, you shall be the senior 
captain, and all who join us now, whatever their 
rank, must consider themselves, in this service, your 
juniors. You shall command the second ship, and 
the flag shall be in the other It was impossible that 
I should not be highly gratified with such a promise. 
After a little time, however, he wished me to be his 
captain ; an appointment which I was far from de- 
siring, as I knew enough of him, and of his habits 
of irregularity in his room, in his engagements, in 
short, in every thing, which are so much the reverse 
of those, which, I flatter myself, are my own, to be 
aware that we could not agree long in the same ship. 



14 



CAPTAIN CROSBIE. 



During several months, Sertorius incessantly urged 
me to accede to this new proposal. I should be, he 
said, " his right hand f he felt he had been on shore so 
long, that my assistance by his side would be of the 
greatest advantage to him; and, at length, finding 
that I was as anxious to avoid discussing this subject, 
as he was studious of recurring to it, he took an 
opportunity of leaving me alone with Mr. Noble, a 
gentleman who was labouring much to forward the 
object of the expedition. Mr. Noble candidly told 
me, that our tete-a-tete had been planned, that he 
might have the opportunity of trying to persuade me 
to become the Admiral's flag captain. I discussed 
the matter with him, and explained my own feelings ; 
, but, as he made a great point of it, I said I would, 
though reluctantly, give way, though I feared we 
should never get on well together, notwithstanding 
my strenuous endeavours to attain that end. When I 
next met Sertorius, he expressed, in the warmest 
manner, his obligations to me for this compliance. 
" I now, 1 ' he said, " shall feel quite at ease ; you will 
consider yourself captain of the Congress, and Crosbie 



ADMIRAL SERTORIUS. 



15 



(the only officer, of the rank of captain, at that time 
engaged) shall have the Asia. 

As our plans were, as yet, only in embryo, and as 
there was no prospect of an immediate movement, I 
went to visit some friends in Devonshire, from whence, 
in about a month, I was summoned, by a note from 
Sertorius, requiring my presence in London. I lost 
not a moment in returning. On our meeting, he 
spoke much to me about a Captain Bertrand, con- 
siderably my senior, who had agreed to join the 
expedition, and said he wished him to take out the 
Congress, and that I should remain in England after 
the ships had sailed, for the purpose of bringing out 
the transports and steamers. " Let me, 1 ' I said, after 
silence for some time, " distinctly understand you. If 
I accede to this, you mean, do you not, that when we 
are all out, I shall take the command of the Con- 
gress f" — " Oh ! no," he replied, " I wish you to 
keep the steamers, and Bertrand the ship, as he is 
a married man, and I expect more dash from you/ 1 
" I told him, nothing would induce me to give up 
the command of a frigate." — " Very well, then," was 



16 



VACILLATIONS OF 



his answer ; " you shall change when you get out/ 1 
This conversation passed on our way to the docks, 
where we found Bertrand on board the ship, giving 
orders about her, as if he were her captain. I imme- 
diately took Sertorius aside, and requested him to 
prevent the possibility of a future misunderstanding, 
by explaining at once to Captain Bertrand, that he 
was in command pro tempore only ; that he was to 
be my junior ; and must consult me as to the fitting 
up of the Congress. As soon as you have given him 
this explanation, I shall be happy I added, " to be 
introduced to him." Sertorius then spoke to him. 
I. was introduced to him — found him to be a very good 
fellow, and satisfied with the arrangement. 

All went on smoothly for a time ; and yet I could 
not help suspecting that something dishonourable and 
unfair towards me was meditated. From what cause 
this suspicion arose, I cannot tell, unless it originated 
in my confidence in the Admiral's professions and 
promises having been weakened by his previous vacil- 
lating conduct. I resolved, however, that my mis- 
givings should be at once either confirmed or removed, 



ADMIRAL SERTORIUS. 



17 



and therefore requested a person, whom I knew to be 
a friend of Sertorius, and whom I believed to be an 
old friend of my own, to see him, for the purpose 
of ascertaining, whether I did him injustice, in 
imagining that he now wished Bertrand both to be 
his flag captain, and to take rank as my senior. 
On neither point were my conjectures erroneous ; 
and the only excuses the Admiral had to offer, in 
palliation of this breach of good faith, and voluntary 
promise in my favour, were, that he wished Bertrand, 
at that time a perfect stranger to him, to be his 
captain, because he was a more experienced officer 
than myself ; and that he thought it hard, that a very 
old officer should serve as my junior. 

After-wisdom tells me, that I ought immediately 
to have broken off all connexion with a man, on whose 
word so little reliance could be placed ; but my zeal 
for the cause we were about to espouse, induced me 
to give him who was to command the expedition, an 
opportunity of setting himself right, especially as I 
could not help thinking, that there might be other 
persons in the back-ground (though I have never yet 



18 



CAPTAIN CROSBIE. 



been able to bring it so clearly to light, as to mention 
their names here) more blameable than Sertorius. 
I therefore saw him the next morning, and told him, 
that I would not be captain of his ship on any terms ; 
and that, except as second in command, I would not 
take any part in the expedition. " You shaiy he 
said, " be second in command ; and you may have 
either the other frigate, or a squadron of steam vessels."" 
I replied, " The steamers I do not see ; the frigate I 
do see, and, I will name her, though I will not turn 
Crosbie out of her : I shall now go and tell him all 
that has passed." Having done so, I promised Captain 
Crosbie that I would not supersede him. I remained 
without a ship till the 1st of January ; and I most 
solemnly declare, that when the Admiral sent for me 
on that day, I had not the most distant idea that he 
intended to offer me Crosbie's ship. I did not even 
knoAV that there was any chance of his leaving it ; 
and though then informed of his having already done 
so, I was kept in ignorance of the reasons for his 
departure. This is one of those occurrences that 
Sertorius must explain. I was not unmindful of my 



A REMONSTRANCE. 



19 



promise to Crosbie, and would not, on any account, 
have thwarted him. 

On taking possession of the Donna Maria, she was 
in a sad state* ; nothing was on board, and there 
were a hundred tons of mud in her hold. Her crew 
consisted of only one hundred and twenty men ; and 
I laboured under the disadvantage of finding that 
they would not work, because, as I learnt from the 
first Lieutenant, some person (I believe I could name 
him, God bless the man) had induced them to 
believe that I was well known to be a tyrant. I 
therefore mustered all hands, and told them that I 
was dissatisfied with the progress made in the work — 
that much remained to be done — and that I had been 
informed they did not mean to work for me. " I am 
here," I added, " as your captain, and will be obeyed ; 
if you dislike me, throw me overboard ; but if I 
remain here, you shall do your duty." This remon- 
strance had the desired effect. I had no further 
trouble with the men, and they worked hard to get 

* Appendix, No. I. 



* 



20 ARRIVAL OF THE EMPEROR 

the ship ready. It was no easy task for them, in an 
open roadstead, to' take in the guns, and every neces- 
sary equipment for the ship, for, in fact, she was in 
want of all ; yet the Admiral had such little con- 
sideration, as constantly to require the assistance of 
my launch and crew, though he had four hundred, 
and I only one hundred and twenty men. Those I 
had brought out from Liverpool, in the Lord Blayney, 
now wished to join me ; but the Admiral told me he 
had formerly promised that they should serve under 
me, only to keep them quiet, and that he should retain 
them in his own ship. The Wellington, however, 
soon brought me out sixty-two men from England ; 
and our labours were nearly completed by the 2nd 
of February, when the Emperor and suite arrived, 
in the Superb, from Nantes. He was received with 
the customary respect of manning yards, and saluting ; 
and I had the honour of being presented to him, and 
of dining with him. On the 7th, having read to the 
crew, my own, and the other officers 1 commissions*, as 



* Appendix, Nos. II. and III. 



FROM NANTES. 



21 



well as two orders from the Admiral, and having 
taken the oath of allegiance to Donna Maria Segunda*, 
or the regency acting in her name, we were quite 
ready for sea. The Emperor visited my ship, and 
expressed himself highly pleased with her trim. I 
received my orders, and made preparations for 
sailing *f*. 

On the 10th of February, we all got under 
weigh. The Rainha, with the Emperor on board ; 
the Donna Maria, to convoy a troop ship with 
marines; and the Terceira, to land dispatches on 
the coast of Portugal. We soon parted company, to 
proceed on our different destinations ; and the drum 
and fife, for the first time, enlivened the men with 
the old tune, " Come, cheer up, my Lads^." 

* Appendix, No. IV. f Appendix, Nos. V. and VI. 

+ The following words had been written to this tune by George 
Slack, one of my midshipmen : — 

Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer, 
To add something new to the new coming year — 
'Tis to honour we call you, for Portugal's cause, 
To fight for her Queen, Constitution, and Laws. 



A SONG. 



Before we left Belle Isle, I took an opportunity of 
speaking to the Admiral respecting the indemnity, 
the payment of which I had daily expected, and was 
greatly surprised to hear that he had relinquished it, 
both for himself and me, because the agents for 



Hearts of oak are our ships, 
J oily tars are our men ; 
We always are ready, 
Firm, cool, and steady, 
To fight and to conquer 
Again and again. 



What Englishmen, then, would not rise at the sound ? 
Who in freedom's defence always foremost are found; 
What Briton but freely would lay down his life, 
For an innocent Queen, in the glorious strife ? 

Hearts of oak, &c» 

Too long, Lusitania, thy people have bowed 
To the sway of a tyrant, relentless and proud ? 
Then arise, who would not ? at the heart-cheering cry, 
In defence of your freedom, to conquer or die. 

Hearts of oak, &c. 

Then soon may our arms be in victory crown'd, 
And the tyrant, Dom Miguel, be brought to the ground, 
While each true loyal voice shall with rapture exclaim, 
Here's a health to Maria, and long may she reign. 

Hearts of oak, &c. 



PORTUGUESE NOBLEMEN. 



Donna Maria were hard pressed for means. I asked 
for a copy of the contract*, and found the former 
part dated the 30th of March, the latter the 30th of 
November; whereas, I did not leave London till a 
week after the last date, and therefore he ought to 
have consulted me before he gave up this security, as 
he had a right to decide for himself only. 

The unwarrantable use made of my name in this 
instance, showed me how little confidence the Admiral 
deserved, and I told him distinctly, that, though I 
would not now withdraw from the expedition, I 
would not waive my claim to the fulfilment of the 
original contract, as nothing but the stipulation 
contained in that, would have induced me to peril all 
mv prospects of advancement in life. 

On Sunday the 12th, I performed divine service to 
the men — a practice I continued the whole time I 
commanded the ship, except when any important duty 
interfered. I had on board about eighteen passengers, 
Portuguese noblemen and gentlemen, and I feel much 
indebted to them for their urbanity, and for the good 
humour with which they submitted to the incon^ 

* Appendix. No. VII. 



24 



COUNT VILLA REALE. 



veniences of the ship. They were perfectly satisfied 
with the accommodation I was able to give them, and 
I have since received much kindness at their hands. 
I had formerly resided at Lisbon for several months, 
but this was my first opportunity of forming any 
intimacy with the Portuguese; and the impressions 
made on me by their deportment, were highly favour- 
able to that nation ; nor was the pleasure I derived 
from their society mixed by one regret, except that 
the heat of the gun room and cockpit having driven 
them one by one from their berths in them to the 
main deck, I was prevented from exercising the 
men, so much as I could have wished, at all the guns 
at the same time. 

I had at my table the Count Villa Reale, the 
Marquis Fontera, General Alzerado and his brother, 
and General Vasconcelles ; and I feel the greatest 
pleasure in having had the honour to make the 
acquaintance of these gentlemen. The other officers 
entertained Count de Tipa, Baron Rendolph, Count 
de Lumier, and Signor Silva Cavalho, the present 
able and excellent Minister of Finance; and several 



TERCEIRA. 



25 



others. We were much detained, by being obliged to 
keep company with the troop ship, which sailed badly, 
even in the most advantageous weather. This, how- 
ever, gave me time for disciplining my ship, and 
placing it in an effective state. I had all the boats 
repaired and painted, the rigging set to rights, the 
men well trained at the guns and small arms; the 
guns, by constant firing, cleared of rust and dirt ; the 
ship turned into something like a man-of-war, and 
ready for any service. On the 24th, after a smooth- 
water passage, we anchored in the roads of Angra, 
in the Island of Terceira, and saluted the fort, which 
returned it. The marines were sent on shore from 
the Edward ; and the next day I paid my respects to 
the regent, the excellent Count Villa Flor, from 
whom I received the greatest personal kindness, and 
every thing that I wanted for the ship. Captain 
Popham Hill, of the marines, arrived from England, 
with several officers, and about one hundred and twenty 
men for the corps. The Terceira also joined us, 
having performed her duty on the coast much to the 
credit of Captain Wilson ; but we had no news of 
the Admiral. 

c 



26 PERILOUS SITUATION 

On the 26th, it began to blow hard from the sea ; 
we got under weigh, and made sail ; the ship looked 
well up to windward of Mount Brazil : but the 
wind changing a little, placed us in a dangerous situa- 
tion ; for the ship's way through the water caused the 
anchor to hook the forefoot, and the buoy, towing by 
the rope, retarded the ship's progress, and made it 
impossible to tack ; and as we were only thirty yards 
from the rocks, there was no room to wear, and we 
could do nothing but continue straight om The 
pilot, who had been sent on board the day before, was 
so frightened, that he called out, in broken English, 
" Luff, luff ; ready about the very thing to have 
lost the ship. I told him to hold his tongue ; but 
he went on his knees crying, and exclaiming, 
" Povora Frigata ! Povora Frigata P 

I ordered the man at the helm to keep the ship 
a point more away ; the awful silence in the 
ship, showed the opinion that prevailed among all 
hands ; and I must say, I did not myself think it pos- 
sible to save her. In this way we proceeded four or 
five hundred yards, not at any time distant more than 
thirty yards from the rocks, with about forty fathoms 



OF THE DONNA MARIA. 



water. I saw the only chance to get clear, was to 
keep as much off the wind as the rocks would permit, 
and to give the ship as much way as possible through 
the water ; but being so close to the tremendous per- 
pendicular precipice of Mount Brazil, we had lost 
the wind, and I only got her through the water two 
knots. However, after half an hour's most intense 
anxiety, I was relieved, by seeing her clear the last 
point, and in perfect safety again. We now got the 
anchors stowed, and the ship to rights; — and after 
beating about for two days, without any appearance 
of the wind shifting, I determined to go to Fayal, and 
if I found good anchorage there, to remain until the 
weather was better, and to lose no time in replenish- 
ing our water. On the 28th, I anchored in the roads 
of Orta, off that island. I hastened to pay my re- 
spects to the Governor, Colonel Fonseca, an officer so 
universally beloved by all classes, that the inhabitants 
of the island applied to Dom Pedro, when he visited 
the place, entreating that the colonel might not be 
taken from them. The colonel, however, was too 
devoted to his country to consent to remain idle, and, 



28 



LIBERAL FEELINGS 



during the war at Oporto, distinguished himself 
much in the important situation of Governor of the 
Foz Castle. The joy which the inhabitants evinced 
at seeing the Constitutional flag flying in a frigate, 
is not to be described ; and in the evening the whole 
town was illuminated. The Governor, the American 
and the English consuls, visited my ship during the 
time I was there ; and I must not forget to state how 
much kind attention I received from them all, but 
particularly from the American consul, Mr. Dabenay, 
and his family, who entertained us with a very delight- 
ful ball, in honour of our arrival. 

Before I quitted the island, a circumstance hap- 
pened, which placed the conduct of the inhabitants in 
a very prominent view. A sailor died on board, and 
I requested permission to bury him on the island, 
which was readily granted. To please the inhabitants, 
as well as to gratify my own men, I caused the coffin 
to be covered, half with the Union jack of England 
and half with the flag of Portugal. The funeral was 
received by the Governor, attended by all the military 
of the island under arms; and as Mr. Walker, the 



AT FAYAL. 



29 



British consul, had unfortunately been blind for 
many years, it fell to my lot to perform the service. 
The Governor ordered three vollies to be fired over 
the grave ; and, considering the religious prejudices of 
Roman Catholics, by no other attention could they 
have shown equal respect to us, or have evinced 
more powerfully that the cause of liberty, for which 
we were alike contending, had extinguished every 
other difference of sentiment or feeling in their 
breasts. 

On the 4th of March, we took in more water, and 
I quitted with infinite regret this island, where I had 
received such marks of friendship. I got under weigh 
for Terceira, and the next day anchored at Angra. 
The Emperor had arrived ; but the Rainha, in her 
passage, had encountered a gale of wind, which car- 
ried away her maintop-mast, sprung her main-mast, 
and she had received much damage about her head. 
I was here ordered to assemble a court-martial on a 
seaman of the Rainha ; and from the chance of dis- 
affection among the men, was much surprised to find 
that the Admiral had landed all his marines. I also 
received from him a verbal order to do the same ; but, 



30 CAPTAIN BEETBAND, 

as I had pointed out to him, in my first communica- 
tion with him in London, the necessity of placing the 
ships on the same footing as those in the British 
navy, I remonstrated, and said that I would not be 
answerable for the safety of the ship if this were done, 
as the seamen were dissatisfied at the non-fulfilment 
of the promises which had been made to them. This 
had no effect, except that he flew in a rage, and said, 
" I never see you, but you give me some trouble. 1 ' 
I replied, that " I considered it my duty to inform 
him that his orders would place me in a situation 
of difficulty, and be also hazardous to the service." 
He rejoined, " Very well, I will be answerable for 
the safety of your ship;" and the marines were ac- 
cordingly landed. 

About this period, Captain Bertrand discovered 
that he had in the Admiral a commander to deal 
with, who was not over particular in his conduct 
towards his friends, if their knowledge and experience 
in the service interfered, even by accident, with his 
own erroneous conjectures and calculations. The par- 
ticular circumstance which I allude to is this, and 
Captain Bertrand is my authority. The Rainha had 



■AND THE ADMIRAL, 



31 



kept too much to the southward after leaving Belle 
Isle, and when she made land, the Emperor asked the 
Admiral, what land it was. He answered, " Terceira/* 
Some time afterwards, the Emperor asked Captain B, 3 
who said, " It is St. Michael's." This so amused the 
Emperor, that he soon communicated it to the Admiral, 
who spoke to Captain B., insisting that the land must 
be Tereeira. Captain B. said, ¥ I have been at sea 
thirty years, and I flatter myself I can navigate a 
ship with any man in the world ; and as I have kept 
the ship's reckoning by a time-keeper of my own, 
which I can trust, I must be excused, if I persist in 
asserting, that the land which we see, is the Island of 
St. Michael's.'" This made the Admiral exceedingly- 
angry, especially as the Emperor, still amused at this 
difference of opinion, would often repeat to Captain 
B., " Are you sure that is St. Michael's ?" who in- 
variably answered, " Yes, your Majesty, I will pledge 
my existence it is." At length, on being warmly con- 
tradicted by the Admiral, Captain B. said, " If, Sir, 
you will be cool, and go down in your cabin with me, 
I will place the ship on the chart in the exact spot 
she is at present, or my log and calculations are of 



32 CAPTAIN BERTRANB, 

very little value." They accordingly went down, and 
Captain B. placed the ship on the chart, and then 
said, " Now, Sir, if you will take the trouble to send 
a man to the main-top, he will see Tereeira on our 
weather bow." The Admiral made no reply, but 
went up the main-rigging himself ; but before he got 
half-way up he saw Terceira in the direction in which 
Captain B. had told him it would be seen. He came 
down, and addressing the Emperor, merely said, 
« That land was St. Michael's." At breakfast, the 
Emperor amused himself with manya good-humoured 
quiz, at the Admiral's expense ; but that did not pro- 
duce any acknowledgment from the Admiral, of his 
having been in error. He immediately afterwards 
removed this officer from his ship, placing Captain 
Crosbie in his stead, and ordering Captain Bertrand 
to Fayal, to fit up a temporary Dock-yard, which he 
did, with great credit to himself and infinite satisfac- 
tion to his Majesty. 

The Admiral was, among his friends, like ^Eneas, 
the old Trojan navigator, bountiful of his expressions 
of fidelity and good feeling at the very moment he was 
about to play them a slippery trick ; nor had he even 



AND THE ADMIRAL. 



33 



the authority of a god to excuse his conduct, or pal- 
liate its meanness — that old mythological extenuation 
of every treachery. 

This was not the only occurrence which showed 
the carelessness and inattention of the Admiral. I 
have heard, from good authority, that while the crew 
were shifting the maintop-mast, thirty hours were 
expended in getting the new one up ; and that when 
it was high enough to put in the fid, the mast was 
found to be rigged with the fid-hole fore and aft, and 
had, of course, to be unrigged again. 

I make no remarks, for I know not whose fault it 
was ; I only know, had such an untoward circumstance 
happened in a ship which I commanded, I should 
have jumped overboard at the instant. 

We now completed the watering and provisioning 
the ship, and, as she was very light, I requested 
the Governor to let me have all the old guns on the 
island for ballast, and I received twenty-six large 
ones. I was then ordered to Porto Praga, an an- 
chorage at the other end of the island, where the 
marines were stationed, and desired to take in more 



34 



DISSATISFACTION OF 



guns. I here found much dissatisfaction among the 
men, arising from their intercourse with the marines 
on shore. They came to me, and complained that 
they had not received the jackets and trowsers which 
had been promised to them, while the men in the 
flag-ship had, and that their pay, which the Admiral 
had told them (before they joined) they should receive 
every month, was three months in arrear. I endea- 
voured to quiet them, in the best manner I could ; 
I told them, that the people employed had, unfor- 
tunately, not yet sent enough clothing from England, 
and that the first which arrived had been distributed 
to the men in the Rainha, because the Emperor was 
on board, but that more was daily expected, which 
should be immediately served out in the Donna 
Maria. With regard to their pay, I said, that as 
soon as the guns were in, I would speak to the 
Admiral, who, I doubted not in the least, would fulfil 
every promise. They said that they would do their 
work, but that they felt that their ship was black 
listed, and the Rainha the favoured one. I can 
easily believe, that it was a desirable object to have 



THE SEAMEN. 35 

all the men well clothed, in a ship which had the 
Emperor on board ; but, whether it was either just 
or judicious, to favour the men of the Rainha, to the 
total exclusion and entire neglect of those in the 
Donna Maria, I will leave for those to determine, 
who have commanded a squadron, and found it ad- 
vantageous, under difficult circumstances, to preserve 
unanimity among all the seamen in the fleet. 

We hoisted out the launch, got in twenty guns, 
and the launch again, by midnight, and weighed 
anchor, — no little exertion for the crew. But as dis- 
satisfaction continued to spread, and murmuring to 
increase among the men, on account of the arrears of 
pay, I thought it my duty to write to the Admiral 
on the subject*; who, in consequence, on our arrival 
at Angra, came on board, and had a long conversation 
with them. At Angra, I was again honoured b}^ 
the Emperor with an invitation to dinner. 

The Rainha was now about to go to Fayal to 
refit : and I was directed to convey two Portuguese. 



Appendix, No. VIII. 



36 



MADEIRA. 



nine other officers, and forty-eight soldiers, to take pos- 
session of Porto Santo. My commands were delivered 
to me, both by the Admiral and Government*; and I 
was ready to sail on rather a good cruise, having 
under my command a small squadron, consisting of 
the Villa Flor, of eighteen guns, and the Terceira 
schooner, when the Admiral suddenly altered his 
mind, and resolved to go with me: I therefore did 
not open my orders, but hoisted his flag, and pre- 
pared for him. 

On the 14th of March, a vessel having fortunately 
arrived from England with the long-expected clothing, 
I lost no time in serving them out to the men, sup- 
plying them at the same time with some blankets, 
bedding, soap, and tobacco ; and this restored them to 
good humour. 

We made sail for Madeira, in company with the 
Villa Flor brig, and Terceira schooner. The ship 
was much stiffer, and sailed better, since we had bal- 
lasted her with the old guns. On the 16th, about 

* Appendix, Nos. IX. and X. 



A STRANGE SAIL. 



37 



noon, seeing a large ship on our lee bow, under top- 
sail and fore-sail, we bore up in chase ; when within 
about three miles of her, the Admiral, getting impa- 
tient, as we were running from our course, desired 
the colours to be hoisted. I in vain entreated him 
to allow us to show English or French colours, instead 
of our own, and I was most reluctantly obliged to 
give the order to hoist the ensign ; had we not done 
so, in one half-hour more we should have been along- 
side her : but the instant it reached our peak, she put 
her helm up, and made all sail right before the wind, 
hoisting, at the same time, a small French flag. 
" I was sure," the Admiral said, " she was French ; 
we had better haul our wind again ." — " Depend on it, 
Sir," I replied, " she is not ; that is only a signal flag 
she has up ; I never saw an ensign so small. I trust 
you will chase her." To this he consented, though 
he would not be convinced that she was in the service 
of the Usurper, Miguel, even by her running away 
at sight of the Queen's ensign ; a flag from which, at 
that time, no ship of any other power would have fled. 
We beat to quarters, and prepared for resistance, 



S8 



A STRANGE SAIL. 



continuing the chase with all sail set on both sides. 
I tried her distance with two shot, and found her 
just out of reach : the wind was not strong, but 
appeared inclined to freshen, which would have 
enabled us to outcarry her. At the end, however, of 
thirty-three hours, having neither gained nor lost on 
her, the Admiral directed us to take in our studding 
sails, and haul the wind. On my repeating the order, 
the men all came to me, and begged me to follow her. 
I said (in rather an angry tone, I admit), " It is 
nothing to me; the Admiral has ordered us to shorten 
sail, and his orders shall be obeyed in this ship." For 
this I have been much misrepresented by some 
people. I have been censured, as one wishing to pre- 
judice the men against the Admiral, for preventing 
their taking a rich prize; whereas, I had no other 
intention than to enforce on them obedience to a com- 
mand, which I knew was a sad disappointment to them. 
The truth is, the men were offended at being thus 
baulked ; but their indignation arose, not from what 
I said, but from the certainty they themselves felt, 
of being soon up with the chase. The wind shortly 



PORTO SAXTO. 



39 



afterwards increased to a gale, which would have 
speedily enabled them to ascertain, in the regular 
way, the value of her ; but it was some time before 
either they, I, or those who cavil at me, learnt that 
this ship, which the Admiral would not allow to be 
taken, would have proved a rich prize, being the 
Cybelle, one of Dom Miguel's largest corvettes, con- 
veying to Lisbon the revenue of the Cape de Verd 
islands. Then it was that the Admiral's unpopularity 
among the seamen became great indeed ; and they 
frequently alluded to his conduct, on this occasion, 
in terms of the greatest severity. I, however, did my 
duty — suppressed my own feelings, and checked their 
murmurs. 

The brig and schooner soon rejoined us ; but, the 
wind having been foul ever since we left Terceira. 
we did not make land till the 29th. We put the 
Portuguese soldiers on board the Villa Flor, and 
sent her and the schooner, on the 2nd of April, 
to take possession of the island of Porto Santo ; and 
continued till the 5th, watching a Miguelite man-of- 
war brig, which we found lying at anchor in Funchal 



40 



BLOCKADE OF 



roads, in hopes she would come out ; for the Admiral, 
though there were plenty of volunteers for the service, 
did not think it worth while to send the boats in after 
her ; it being as much beneath his dignity to cut out 
a man-of-war brig, as to chase a corvette. We then 
chased some sail to leeward, and gave the brig an 
opportunity of running away, which she did not 
neglect : we saw no more of her. 

The accidental discharge of one of my pistols, which 
the coxswain snapped, not knowing it to be loaded, 
nearly proved fatal to one of the crew. The ball 
traversed along the main deck, which was crowded 
with men, entered the side of one of them, and passing 
out again, broke his left arm. The skill of the sur- 
geon, however, prevented the necessity of amputation, 
and, eventually, he quite recovered. 

While here, the American consul paid the Admiral 
a visit, politely bringing with him a present of fruit, 
and of the other good things of the island. However, 
nothing which passed at this interview altered the 
Admiral's determination with respect to several vessels 
of that country, which we had prevented entering the 



MADEIRA. 



41 



port ; — they were sent away ; and we, leaving the 
brig to keep up the blockade, sailed for Porto Santo, 
where we anchored on the 7th, to take in water ; and 
I here got six more old guns, for ballast. 

At this place, we were nearly knowing by experience 
the folly and danger of leaving the ship without a 
proper complement of marines. As the third lieu- 
tenant was going round the lower deck, to order some 
men up to duty, a shot was thrown at him. I placed 
one man, on whom suspicion fell, into close custody ; 
he declared he had not thrown the shot, though he 
knew who had, but that he should not give him up ; 
and, therefore, I told him he should be punished. 
Shortly afterwards, the captain of the foretop con- 
fessed that he was the person who had done it ; and 
he wanted to excuse himself by saying, he was playing 
with it, and that it rolled towards the lieutenant. I 
told him it was a most cowardly action ; and I sent 
him on shore, to be put in prison, and kept on bread 
and water, till further orders. 

The next day, the first lieutenant reported to me, 
that the men being turned up, " Up anchor," had 



42 



BLOCKADE OF 



refused to get the ship under weigh, unless the man 
on shore was sent for. I went on deck, though, having 
badly hurt my leg, I could with difficulty walk, 
and desiring the boatswain to pipe " All hands," 
" up anchor," I moved on to the forecastle, where a 
number of the men were assembled, and demanded 
of them, " Who among you is it who dares to refuse 
obedience to my orders ?" They immediately dispersed, 
went aft, and manned the capstan bars ; but although 
I made them heave round, they did it slowly. Having 
previously made up my mind not to bring the man 
to a court-martial, as he must have been sentenced to 
death ; and intending, after he had been a short time 
in prison, to take him back, and punish him on board : 
I now told the ship's company, that if they did not 
do their duty properly, nothing should save their 
shipmate; but that if they worked as they ought, 
and behaved to my satisfaction, there was a chance 
of my letting him off; and that, therefore, his life 
was more in their hands, than in mine. On this, there 
was a cheer at capstan ; the anchor was up in quick 
time, and the ship soon under sail. The next day 



MADEIRA. 



43 



we were again off our old spot, Funchal, the Villa 
Flor in company. The Admiral ordered all hands 
on deck, and told the men he was going to leave them 
for Terceira, but hoped to be back soon, with the 
other frigate, and troops, to take possession of the 
island. " Since all the officers," he said, " gave the 
prisoner at Porto Santo a good character, his mis- 
conduct should, for this time, be pardoned, and he 
should be allowed to return to his duty ; but that 
they must be aware, that their own behaviour yester- 
day, was more calculated to injure, than to serve him ; 
and that he trusted nothing of the kind would occur 
again.™ They seemed very thankful to the Admiral 
for this act of clemency. He now delivered me my 
written orders*, and sailed for Terceira the same night 
in the Villa Flor, leaving me the irksome task of 
blockading Funchal, instead of allowing me to follow 
the orders I had received from Government, which 
would have been more interesting, and more advan- 
tageous to all parties. When we first arrived off this 



* Appendix, Xo. XI. 



COLONEL MOZINHO. 



place, His Majesty's Ship Briton, Captain Markland, 
was here; but about this time Sir Thomas Trow- 
bridge, in the Stag, had relieved her. On the 12th, 
a gig (which I kept for the ship) came off, with 
twenty deserters, and ten more in a shore boat. As 
Colonel Mozinho, who had been on board ever since 
we left Terceira, and who has since held the situation 
of Minister of Marine, now wished to land at Porto 
Santo, I sent him there in the schooner, with the 
deserters from the shore. It is impossible to express 
how much obliged I am to Colonel Mozinho for his 
kindness to me at all times. When on board, he was 
a most agreeable companion, universally liked, and 
admired ; and afterwards, as Minister of Marine, his 
conduct, and attention to the English, were the con- 
stant theme of conversation. 

In the course of a short time, deserters from the 
shore brought out more boats, which I informed the 
Governor, by letter*, should be returned, if he would 
send out a flag of truce for them ; but this offer not 

* Appendix, No. XII. 



BLOCKADE OF FUNCHAL. 



45 



being accepted, I forwarded them to Porto Santo. 
On the 15th, while I was boarding ships to the 
westward, I had the mortification of seeing a small 
Miguelite schooner make her way in from the east- 
ward; and soon after I experienced the additional 
vexation of having to reman the Terceira, all her 
crew having been imprisoned at Porto Santo for 
misconduct. On the 19th, observing some boats 
towing a brig, close in shore, I stood in as near as 
possible, and then sent my boats after her. 

It was no easy matter to blockade Funchal with 
one ship; and in spite of all my care, and the pre- 
caution of having the boats out every night, two 
vessels had already worked in : but on the 21st I 
fortunately intercepted a brig schooner, Monte de 
Calmos, three days from Lisbon, with a general 
cargo ; which, though not a valuable prize, as it was 
the first, put my men in good spirits. She was the 
bearer of many letters, and small packages, which it 
became my duty to open ; but as they all related to 
private affairs, I did not like to detain them, and 
therefore requested Mr. Phillips, an English gentle- 
man, who came on board, to be the bearer of them to 



46 



BLOCKADE OF FUNCHAL. 



the British consul, to whom I wrote, begging him 
to make my excuses to the parties to whom they were 
addressed, for the disagreeable necessity I had been 
under of examining them. I have, however, since 
been rather blamed for not having kept them. I 
took the same opportunity of warning the Governor 
that I should be obliged to destroy the fishing boats, 
which had hitherto been respected, if they assisted in 
towing vessels, and did not confine themselves exclu- 
sively to fishing. On the 27th, I again anchored at 
Porto Santo to water, and set up the rigging, cap- 
turing, on my passage, the Aurora Brillante, from 
St. Ubes, with salt. Having experienced the great 
difficulty of maintaining the blockade with only one 
ship, I put two of my quarter-deck guns into the 
prize schooner, manned her, gave her in the charge 
of Mr. Wooldridge, a midshipman of high character, 
and sent her off, at once, to Funchal, in compliment 
to the Commander-in-Chief, first naming her the 
Admiral Sertorius*. 

On the 30th, the Villa Flor arrived from Terceira, 



Appendix, No. XIII. 



POXTE DELGADA. 



47 



with orders for me to hasten to St. Michael's*. I 
therefore dispatched the brig to bring back the 
Admiral Sertorius schooner — took my men out of 
her, and leaving her in charge of the Villa Flor, 
and giving the other prize to Colonel Mozinho, to 
make into a gun-boat, I weighed, and made all sail, 
right glad to be relieved from the unpleasant duty of 
blockading. On my arrival, in eight days, at Ponte 
Delgada, I went on shore, to pay my respects to the 
Emperor, and to the Minister of Marine, whom I 
found far from pleased with the Admiral for block- 
ading Madeira, instead of sending me to execute the 
orders which I had originally received, on leaving Ter- 
ceira. They were both angry with me, for not having 
pointed out to him the impropriety of not acting up 
to the expressed wishes of the Government ; and when 
I excused myself, by saying I could not venture to do 
so, as it was my duty to obey the orders of my 
Commander-in-Chief, whatever they might be, they 
merely said, " Oh, that is very true ;* yet they seemed 
far from satisfied. 



* Appendix, No. XIV. 



48 



JEALOUSY OF THE ADMIRAL, 



They then questioned me much respecting the 
chase of the Cybelle, the details of which they had 
learnt from the Portuguese passengers, who were 
indignant with the Admiral, and would not admit 
that any excuse could be made for him. From them, 
I repeat, and not from me, the Emperor received his 
information ; though, with as bad feeling as bad 
taste, it has been imputed to me, that I conveyed it 
to him ; and that with the intention, and for the 
dishonourable purpose, of procuring the Admiral's 
removal, that I might be promoted to his place. 
Poor jealous fellow ! ! If I chose, as I do not at 
present choose, to tell you all, you would soon see 
how easily I could have superseded you in your com- 
mand ; but, inquire of others, and you will learn, 
that much as I disapproved of your conduct, I always, 
whenever the subject was mentioned to me, spurned 
the idea of supplanting you. I could not demean 
myself by acting towards you in that treacherous 
manner, in which you have acted towards me. But 
this is neither the time nor place ; both will hereafter 
be found, and then you shall no longer be able to 
doubt that I can, as plainly and as fully as you 



CAPTAIN BOID's LETTER. 



49 



already know I can fearlessly, speak the whole 
truth. 

The dispatch recalling me from Madeira, was ac- 
companied by a letter from Captain Boid, the Ad- 
miral's Secretary and confidential adviser, of which 
the following is an extract : — 

Angra, April 25, 1832. 

My Dear Mins, 

************ * # 

" Our cause appears very popular in England, and no doubts are 
entertained as to its successful results. The Reform Bill was not, at 
that date (the 7th), commenced in the Lords, but, from Lords Har- 
rowby and Wharncliffe's conversation in our favour, as well as many 
or most of the Bishops, it is said, it is certain to pass, with a few 
slight modifications *********. 

" It is reported, that a naval force, commanded by an English 
Navy Captain, meets and opposes us on the coast; we don't believe if, 
though are anxious to keep up the idea, for many reasons ; more parti- 
cularly, as the Big Whigs, seeing all going on favourably, and with 
such strong support from England and France, begin to treat our ser- 
vices with somewhat of contempt, thinking them unnecessary ; therefore, 
you will know how to act, on your arrival at St. Michael's, where 
the Emperor, &c. &c. is just gone. Report you heard, — from good 
authority, such a force was preparing to encounter us ; they are already 
in a funk ; and, to keep the frigates clear for action, have come 
to the determination of fitting out one of the transports, for the ac- 
commodation of the Emperor and all his suckers." 



50 



CAPTAIN BOID. 



Who after perusing this letter, will be surprised if 
I, thinking Captain Boid no longer worthy of the 
unreserved confidence of an honourable man, pre- 
ferred that our future conversations should be held 
aloud, as we walked the deck, to listening in my 
cabin to the insinuations of his whispers. When he 
persisted in intruding his pernicious advice on me, I 
plainly told him, it was impossible for me to hide 
my feelings; and, that it was in vain he remon- 
strated with me, and really almost on his knees en- 
treated me to submit my conduct to the guidance 
of his selfish wisdom. I, my friends may be sure, 
did not act on this exquisite epistle, almost worthy 
the diplomatic ingenuity of Bob Acres. Bob says, 
" Tell him I'm fighting Bob — Kill a man a day — 
I'm a devil of a fellow.'' The Secretary says, 
" Frighten the Emperor — tell him we must keep the 
deck clear for action — that there's a devil of a 
squadron to oppose us, under the command of a 
fighting English captain." 

The Emperor desired me to remain off the island 
to protect the transports, which were waiting to con- 



ANECDOTE. 



■51 



vey the troops; I therefore wrote to the Admiral*. 
Stress of weather drove me out to sea, and I was not 
able to anchor again till the 17th. I then took in 
water, and more guns for ballast ; but I had great 
difficulty in getting supplied with provisions, though 
there were plenty in store, because the Admiral had 
quarrelled with the Minister of Marine -f*, and writ- 
ten to the Emperor, in strong terms respecting him. 
He therefore, at first, declined giving me any, till the 
Admiral himself arrived. After some trouble, how- 
ever, I got sufficient for two months, and three hun- 
dred pounds sterling from the Government, that I 
might give the men some money to go on shore. 
On the 20th, the Emperor visited the ship. As he 
went round the main deck, he saw the gunner prim- 
ing the guns, and learning, on inquiring, the object, 
that it was my wish to salute him on his leaving, told 
me, he would have no waste of powder, as it would 
all be wanted soon. But when, a few days afterwards, 

* Appendix, No. XV. 

f For the Admiral's account of this quarrel, see his Letter, ad- 
dressed to me under date of the 23rd of May, Appendix, No. XVI. 



52 



QUARREL WITH 



I requested his permission to dress the ships in flags> 
and fire a salute on the 28th, the King of England's 
birth-day, he not only readily granted it, but sent 
me an order to direct the other ships to do the same * ; 
and T was still more gratified, when the ships had 
finished firing, by finding the batteries on shore 
saluted too. 

On the 31st the Admiral arrived. On my going 
on board the Rainha, to pay my respects to him, 
he inquired why I had not saluted his flag. I told 
him, that I did not like to do so, till I had seen him, 
as the Emperor had forbidden me to waste powder in 
saluting himself. He immediately telegraphed to the 
Donna Maria, to fire a salute of thirteen guns, but 
neglected to direct the Rainha to return it ; and 
though, in consequence of the unpleasant remarks 
this neglect occasioned on shore, I wrote to him on 
the subject *|-, it never was done. 

On the 7th of June, a strong breeze blowing from 
the south-west, the Admiral's ship, and transport, 

* Appendix, Nos. XVII. and XVIII. f Appendix, No. XIX. 



THE ADMIRAL, 



53 



weighed. I made several unsuccessful attempts to 
weigh also, but carried away the messenger; and 
when I got a new one up, messenger, nippers, and 
every thing flew out of the hawse-holes, and the ship 
brought up by the clinch. The men fagged hard for 
ten hours, when, finding all they could do unavail- 
ing, I resolved to ride out the gale as long as the 
anchor would hold; and, being anxious to save it, 
made every preparation to slip. About two o'clock 
in the morning, the ship began to drift, and on slip- 
ping, she cast the wrong way, and wore so close to the 
rocks, that I had great difficulty in clearing them in 
the dark. On the 13th, the weather being quite 
moderate, I endeavoured to get the anchor ; but the 
slip-rope gave way, and anchor, cable, and messenger, 
were lost. I was now left without a messenger, or 
any thing I could turn into one. I had nothing but 
a small hawser, on which no reliance could be placed at 
any time, and which in a wind, or swell, was wholly 
useless ; and though I could easily have procured a 
cable from the transports, the safety of the ship, and 
the lives of the men, both endangered for want of 
one, were treated with so little consideration, as to 



54 



QUARREL WITH 



leave me without one for several months. When I 
spoke to the Admiral on the subject, on board the 
Amelia, he answered me in such an angry manner, 
and made such uncalled for observations, that the 
Emperor, who was on deck, inquired the cause of his 
excitement. The explanation he gave was conveyed, 
as I was subsequently informed, in terms which would 
have been highly improper for him to employ, had 
he been speaking of a midshipman, instead of a 
captain. But I will now make no comment on 
them, as he has subsequently disavowed having used 
them; and because it is my wish to discredit every 
thing, to his prejudice, which is not generally known 
to be true. At the time, however, I certainly thought 
the offensive expressions had reached my own ears, 
and that it would become me to resign my ship; 
and therefore, though I had the satisfaction of know- 
ing, from the manner in which the Emperor im- 
mediately entered into conversation with me, that 
no impression disadvantageous to me had been made 
on his mind, I went on shore, the next day, to 
tender my resignation to him. 

For his Majesty personally, and for the Portuguese 



THE ADMIRAL. 



65 



in general, I had the highest esteem, and would have 
borne almost any thing ; but I felt that I could no 
longer serve his Majesty with honour to myself, or 
advantage to him, if I, the captain of a ship, and 
second in command of the expedition, permitted the 
Admiral's behaviour, towards me, to be marked by 
a, coarse rudeness, and offensive vulgarity, which is 
unknown, and will never, for a moment, be tolerated 
in the British service. Before I could see the Em- 
peror, I found myself placed in a very embarrassing 
situation; — my intention of resigning had been anti- 
cipated, and made public. 

Many of the crew of the Donna Maria were on 
shore on leave ; and they, on hearing the rumour, 
chalked on the walls of the town, " A large ship to 
let f while those on board came to me, and declared it 
was their determination to leave the ship if I did not 
remain in her. They had become attached to me, as 
seamen ever do become attached to a captain who 
treats them properly. I told them they had volun- 
teered, not for a particular captain, but for the 
service, and conduet such as they threatened to adopt 5 



56 QUARREL WITH 



would render them amenable to the Articles of War ; 
and I sent them away, desiring them to be careful, 
and not commit any breach of discipline. The next 
day, the Emperor requested a Portuguese gentleman 
(whom I can name), to tell me he was aware of the 
nature of the communication I wanted to make to 
him ; but he wished I would forget what had taken 
place, and continue in my command: at the same 
time, he communicated to me other and more im- 
portant matters, not necessary to communicate in this 
place. This gentleman's persuasions, together with 
my knowledge of the state the ship would be in, 
induced me to abandon my design of resigning. 

From this moment, the terms on which the Admiral 
and I had been on, were entirely changed, and the 
origin of all this was, — my anxiety to have a messenger. 
Yet, what would the captain of an English frigate 
think, if he were sent without one, to anchor at such 
places as Ponte Delgada, or off the coast of Portugal ? 
And what punishment should I not have deserved, if, 
knowing the deficiencies of my ship could be easily 
remedied, I had not pressed upon the Admiral the 



THE ADMIRAL. 



57 



importance of attending to them, and the danger of 
neglecting them ? The Admiral himself answered 
this when, as prosecutor of Captain Rose, he brought 
the following (being the third) charge against that 
officer, and supported it, by putting the subjoined 
question to Commander Wilson :— 

Third Charge. — That the different vessels fitted out 
under the inspection of Captain Rose, were sent 
out in a state highly defective and dangerous, 
betraying equally a want of activity and profes- 
sional knowledge ; the more so, as the wants of 
those vessels (although of a nature of the highest 
importance) could have been easily supplied at 
Oporto ; and that when spoken to on the subject, 
by the respective officers, his conduct was insult- 
ing and unsatisfactory — while a loss of time and 
frequent delays have occurred by absenting him- 
self when officers have sought his aid. 

THE PROSECUTOR'S QUESTIONS. 

Did not the Portuense leave the river Douro in a 

D 5 



58 



CAPTAIN ROSE. 



very inefficient state, particularly with regard to 
anchors and cables ? — Yes. 

Did Captain Rose, as the officiating and superin- 
tending officer of the naval dock-yard, do his best to 
remove that inefficiency of such serious and important 
wants ? — Yes. 

Relate to the Court what were the principal ineffi- 
ciencies of the Portuense on her leaving the Douro ? 
• — She was deficient of sails, cordage, and one anchor. 

The remaining anchor and cable, were they not 
both bad ? — I am not aware. 

The first anchor and cable that was lost at the 
Bayonna Roads, were they not bad, and the same as 
were in the Portuense when she left the Douro ? — 
I cannot say whether it was a bad anchor and cable — 
it was the same. 

The inefficiencies of the ship, why were they not 
remedied previous to the ship proceeding upon service ? 
— I am not aware. 

The means for remedying the inefficiency, did 
they not exist at Oporto, to the best of your know- 
ledge and belief? — I am not aware. 



INSUBORDINATION. 



59 



On the 23rd of June, the Emperor hoisted his 
standard on board the Amelia, commanded by Cap- 
tain Bertrand, who had made himself so useful in 
forming the dock-yard at Fayal. She carried fourteen 
carronades; and her main deck was fitted up with 
cabins, like a yacht, for the accommodation of the 
Emperor, his Ministers, and suite. On the 24th, tlie 
crew of the Donna Maria were paid, and I, for the 
first time since I became her captain, slept on shore, 
The next day, some of the crew having contrived, in 
spite of every precaution, to purchase some spirit?, 
became rather disorderly, and I could not get the 
lights put out on the lower 'deck at the regular time. 
Some shots were thrown at an. officer, whom I sent 
round with a guard of marines. I discovered one 
of these offenders, and another who had drawn a knife 
on an officer ; and as he proved to be the man whose 
misconduct had been pardoned at Porto Santo, I 
determined to have them both brought to a eourt- 
martial. They were tried, punished, and turned out 
of the ship. I could not help congratulating myself 
that a few days before this occurrence, I had had the 



60 



DEPARTURE FROM 



pleasure of having my old and valued friend, Captain 
Pophani Hill, with sixty marines, appointed to my 
ship. 

We were now all ready to start, having completed the 
embarkation of seven thousand five hundred troops 
on board forty-two transports. The men-of-war were 
wisely kept clear, in case we should fall in with any 
of the enemy's ships. We had been so long at St. 
Michael's, and had been so kindly treated by the 
inhabitants, that many a regret was felt on board the 
Donna Maria, as we left that delightful island. 
The house of Mr. Brandon, the hospitality of all, and 
the incessant endeavours to contribute to our amuse- 
ment, will continue to be subjects of my most pleasant 
and grateful reminiscences. 

On the 27th of June, we weighed, and made sail 
with the convoy, taking the Superb (steamer) in tow, 
to save her coals. His British Majesty's ship Stag, 
which had recently arrived, kept company with us for 
two days. 

On the 4th of July, I went on board the Emperor's 
ship ; and inquired of Captain Bertrand, whether he 



st. Michael's. 61 

had any orders, or place of rendezvous pointed out, in 
the event of bad weather, or parting company ; but, 
astonishing to say, I found that he, like myself, had 
none at all. My wish was merely to gain information 
for myself ; but some of the Portuguese had heard 
me make the inquiry, and having reported it to 
the Emperor, I thus, unintentionally increased the 
displeasure against the Admiral, already great, in 
consequence of his having neglected to arrange any 
plan for disembarking the troops. His Majesty 
immediately asked me, " Have you not a letter, signed 
by me, to be opened in case of parting company ?" I 
replied in the negative. " And has not the Admiral 
given vou anv orders on this point ?" — u No, he has 
not." The Emperor then turned away, and made 
some exclamation in Portuguese. 

Incredible as it may seem, vet, it is as true as it is 
strange, that forty transports full of troops, and several 
men-of-war, sailing on a most important expedition, 
were wandering after one another, not knowing where 
to rendezvous in case of foul weather, and without 
instructions of any kind. I, the second in command, 
and the other captains of the men-of-war, at least, had 



PORTUGAL. 



none; and, I believe, the captains of the transports 
were in the same satisfactory situation. One of the 
former, the Coquette, did part company, and was 
occupied for several days in searching for the squadron, 
but, luckily, rejoined us shortly before we made land. 
The weather, however, proved so favourable, that a 
gig might have made the passage in safety, and to 
that fortuitous circumstance alone we are indebted, 
for none of the others having separated from us. 

The Admiral was so occupied with his guitar, that 
it was only one day before we anchored, that I 
received a plan for the disembarkation, to not one of 
the directions of which we could afterwards adhere, 
as he most unexpectedly threw the fleet into confusion 
by making the signal, " Stand off, 1 ' when the ships 
were well in their p 7 aces, and every facility we could 
have desired, invited us to land; nor would he recal 
this signal, till he had received first a message, and 
then a positive order, from the Emperor. Had it riot 
been for the personal exertions, and indefatigable 
activity of his Majesty, we should certainly have been 
detained a month longer at St. Michael's : but he was 
to be seen at all points, and at all hours; at one 



LANDING OF THE TROOPS. 



63 



moment in a boat, towing the troops ; in the next, on 
board the different transports, making minute inquiries 
after all their wants; and then with the steamers, towing 
in those vessels which had been becalmed ; and now, 
it may well be questioned, if a single soldier would 
ever have set his foot on the shore, if the Emperor had 
not, again, taken the direction on himself. 

Deeply indeed, Portuguese, are you indebted to 
His Imperial Majesty, and may you repay the debt 
of gratitude you owe him, by firm allegiance to his 
daughter through future years ! 

The Emperors orders being given to Captain Rose, 
it is unnecessary to say, the launches were soon out, 
the flat boats in order, and every thing ready. We 
anchored, on Sunday the 8th, about ten a.m., in 
front of a place called Mindella, the men-of-war about 
a pistol shot from the shore, the transports outside 
them. The anxiety of the men to land was very 
satisfactory, whilst the sound of the Constitutional 
air, played by all the bands, gave additional interest 
to this highly-exciting scene. By seven in the evening, 
about six thousand of the troops had effected their 
landing without opposition ; for, although the enemy 



64 



CAPTURE OF THE 



had a force of five thousand men in the neighbour- 
hood, and a troop of horse were observed in an 
adjoining wood on our right, they retired, after 
receiving a few shots from the shipping, 

I went on board the Emperors ship, and Captain 
Bertrand told me, that he had been informed, by the 
English men-of-war, that a large ship, which we could 
see at anchor off Oporto, was a corvette, in the service 
of the Usurper. I asked the Emperor's permission to 
go after her, which he was delighted to give me ; but 
the Admiral arrived, and did not approve of my 
going. The Emperor, however, taking me by the 
shoulder, and walking with me to the gang-way, 
desired me to make haste. I got my ship under 
weigh, and a steamer took me in tow*. I had but a 

* The following order, in the Admiral's own hand-writing, was, at 
the same instant, delivered to me : 

COPY. 

July 8, 1832. 

It is my most positive directions, that you do not lose sight 
of my flag ship, or be out of signal distance from me, and particularly 
with the steamer, as the safety of the whole squadron depends upon 
her, in case of the wind coming on shore, or any bad weather. 

R. G. SERTORIUS. 

To Captain Mins, 
H. M. F. M. Ship Donna Maria. 



COMMERCIO MARITIMO. 



65 



few more than a hundred men, having been obliged 
to land many of my crew, to assist in getting the boats 
off the beach. It was dark by the time we reached 
the ship, and we found, instead of a corvette, she was a 
merchantman, the Commercio Maritimo. I sent my 
first lieutenant, some men, and a marine officer on 
board, and the next morning I took possession of a small 
vessel to put the prisoners in. I then gave her (the 
Commercio Maritimo ) in charge to a Mr. Fitz- 
Costa, a midshipman, another midshipman, Mr. Wil- 
liams, and about twelve or fourteen men, leaving her 
own captain, with some of his officers and crew, to see 
that all went right. 

On the' 13th, having an order* from the Admiral to 
deliver the prize up to the owners, I sent to Mr. Fitz- 
Costa to remain in charge himself, but to let the rest 
return. Before they reached the Donna Maria, 
the first lieutenant informed me he suspected all had 
not been going on properly in the Commercio Maritimo, 
I therefore desired their persons and traps should be 



* Appendix, No. XX. 



66 



ROBBERY OF THE 



searched, the moment they came on board : a con- 
siderable sum of money, and a few other articles, were 
found on them, and taken to my fore-cabin. I now 
remembered, that the day before, having gone into 
my starboard quarter galley, which I seldom entered, 
to look in a closet, at a harpoon of mine, kept there, I 
had seen one or two bags, which, on touching, I per- 
ceived contained money ; but as the seamen had been 
lately paid, principally in maluccos, a coin about the 
size of a dollar, twelve of them being nominally equal 
in value to one ; I thought then, they were maluccos 
belonging to one of my servants; but now, sus- 
pecting they might have been stolen from the prize, 
and secreted there, I said to the first lieutenant, 
" Come down into my cabin, and I think I can give 
you some more dollars." We went together, but the 
bags were gone. My two servants, my coxswain, 
the gunner, the signal man, and others, had access to 
this place when they liked ; it was therefore impossible 
for me to divine who had put them there, or who had 
removed them. I then turned up the hands, " Mend 
sails and while the men were aloft, caused the lower 



COMMERCIO MASIIIMO. 



67 



deck to be searched, some more dollars were found, 
making, altogether, 677^. But we neither found the 
bags, nor did I think more about them. The men 
declared some of the money was their own, and as 
this was very possible, as they had been so lately 
paid, and as part of it was found in their chests, I 
desired my clerk not to return any, but to keep an 
account of it, and a list* of those from whom it had been 
taken. A day or two afterwards, as soon as I could 
see the Admiral, I went on board his ship, and re- 
ported to him what had occurred, and the measures 
I had adopted ; and we held a long conversation 
together on the subject, to the following purport : — 
I told him of the robberv. He said, that " I ought 
not to have taken so manv of the prisoners out of the 
prize." I replied, that " I did so because I had it 
not in my power to put many of my men on board 
her, and I did not like to risk the safety of the few 
I could spare, by allowing all the prisoners, forty in 
number, to remain in the ship ; and I had therefore 



* Appendix. No. XXL 



68 



ROBBERY OF THE 



permitted four or five only to continue in her, as 
safeguards to their property." He then said, " I ought 
to have taken the prize in tow." I reminded him of 
the nearness of the land — of the small number of 
hands I had — and of his orders to me to return with 
all expedition ; which made me unwilling to anchor, as 
I must have done, if I had attempted to take her in 
tow. After thus endeavouring to blame me in every 
way he could think of, he at last said, " Well, I 
cannot help it ; all I know is, you will have to pay 
for it." I replied, " The proper way would be, to have 
the men tried by a court-martial, and the court would 
order those who had committed the robbery, to make 
restitution*;" and this conversation, immediately on my 
return to my ship, I communicated to my first and 
other officers. He answered, " I should dislike that 
proceeding, as it will render the affair too public, 
and I wish it to pass off quietly." I then begged 
him to make every possible inquiry about it. 

I have here given a minute detail of all which 



Appendix, No. XXII. 



COMMERCIO MARITIMO. 



69 



occurred in consequence of this robbery. The 
Admiral has subsequently asserted, that I made no 
communication to him on the subject ; and that he 
was entirely ignorant of it, till some time afterwards : 
but, unfortunately for his veracity, not only did the 
conversation I have recited take place, but, as it was 
matter of public notoriety, both in the squadron and 
on shore, he must, if I had neglected my duty of 
reporting it to him, have heard of it from others, 
when it would have become his duty to have called 
for information ; and it will hereafter be seen, that he 
did not scruple to bring an officer to a court-martial, 
on a charge of his having used language disrespectful 
towards himself, on no stronger ground than that of 
Captain Boid having, naturally, let out, in the 
course of conversation with him, that he had been 
listening to a private conversation between two gen- 
tlemen, and had overheard one of them, Captain Rose, 
make use of an offensive expression. With respect to 
this occurrence, if he did not hear of it at the time, 
putting my own report of it to him out of the 
question, he was the only man in the squadron 



70 



ROBBERY OF THE 



ignorant of it ; a supposition utterly incredible, con- 
sidering what eaves-droppers he employed about him ; 
and that the appearance of a wish, on my part, 
to withhold it from his knowledge, would have 
been as certain, and almost as quick, a method of 
acquainting him with it as the course I adopted ; — the 
telling him of it myself, and asking him to try the 
offenders by a court-martial, or, at any rate, to in- 
stitute a strict investigation into their conduct. I 
now believe, from my soul, that he then wished to 
hush up the affair ; because, in the tortuosity of his 
heart, and the meanness of his antipathies, he hoped 
it would, on a future day, form a neat paragraph or 
two, in a letter of accusation against me. " Captain 
Mins (writes the Admiral to the Minister of Marine, 
under the date of the 7th of February, 1833, seven 
months afterwards), in the most unofficer-like manner, 
clandestinely absented himself from the squadron, 
thereby leaving unexplained a robbery of, / am told, 
ten thousand dollars, committed by a portion of his 
crew in a Portuguese ship, and which he has refused, 
after repeated orders, to give me an account of, or to 



COMMERCIO MARITIMO. 



71 



state the sum he was able to recover, according to my 
directions, or the means adopted for the purpose of 
effecting such recovery T And again ; " there are 
circumstances also, connected with the robbery here 
alluded to, of a nature to bear powerfully on Captain 
Minss character as an officer, and a gentleman." 

Here is an admission he had been told of it. By 
whom, I ask, and when ? An assertion that he had 
given me repeated orders and directions respecting 
the recovery of it. What, again I ask, were those 
orders? What those directions? When were they 
first given ? How often, and at what times, were they 
repeated ? What steps did he take to enforce them ? 
Alas ! alas ! he gave none. He would give none ; 
though I asked him to do so, when I reported the 
robbery to him, and informed him how much I had 
already found, by searching the men. It was not, 
however, till the 30th* of December, after I had 
resigned my ship, that he first noticed the subject ; and 
again on the 1st of January)-, after my successor had 

* Appendix, No. XXIII. f Appendix, Nos. XXIV. and XXV. 



72 



ROBBERY OF THE 



been appointed, when he wrote to inquire why the 
preceding letter had not been answered. And now, 
on the 18th of October, 1833, in London, as if to 
render his contradictions of himself complete, he gives 
to one of the seamen, from whom some of this property 
had been taken, the following memorandum : — 

" Captain Mins cannot have the shadow of a right 
to detain property that does not belong to him, and 
he has no authority whatever in doing it, either from 
the Portuguese Government, or from his late Com- 
mander-in-Chief; and, consequently, ought imme- 
diately to restitute whatever money he may possess of 
your's." Thus, on the 30th of December, 1832, he 
orders me to account for it. On the 7th of February, 
1833, he makes it a charge against me that I have not 
accounted for it. On the 30th of September*, as soon as 
I had recovered my papers, I do account to the Minister 
of Marine for it ; and on the 18th of October, 1833, 
while the money seized is in my agent's hands, waiting 
the instructions of the Portuguese Government, for I 



Appendix, Nos. XXVI. and XXVII. 



COMMERCIO MARITIMO. 



73 



will deliver it to no one on my own responsibility, he 
signs his name to the above memorandum, asserting I 
have no authority for retaining it, and no business to 
account for it (or " restitute" it) to any one, except 
the seamen who stole it. 

I have thus, I trust, satisfactorily exposed the 
falsehood of the Admiral's insinuations against me, 
with respect to the Commercio Maritimo, though per- 
haps it was unnecessary to enter into such minute 
detail. I had sufficiently shown the value of the 
reports he was capable of circulating, when I gave 
his Secretary's letter, directing me to assist in giving 
currency to one, which, " we (he says) don't believe." 
It is not to be expected that they, who, in the hope 
of some small advantage to themselves, could pros- 
titute their honour, by being the inventors of false 
information, to deceive the Emperor, to whom they 
had sworn fidelity, would for one instant hesitate 
to imagine, fabricate, or insinuate anv story, how- 
ever base, or any accusation, however vile, against 
me, when their misconduct had rendered my de- 
struction necessary to their safety. For if they 

E 



74 



ADVENTURES ON 



would play a game with their friends, they must 
play a double game with their enemy. 

I return to the 9th of July, immediately after 
taking possession of the Commercio Maritirno. In 
obedience to my orders, I dismissed the steamer, 
and made all sail to join the Admiral, which I 
effected this morning, and found the disembarkation 
completed, and the convoy getting under weigh. 
We therefore, the next day, anchored off Oportcr, 
and all the small vessels were ordered up the Douro. 
On this occasion, the Admiral's flag was flying on 
board the Rainha, the Amelia, and the Superb 
(steamer), three ships at the same time. This was 
a common occurrence, and the flag was seldom a 
correct indication of the ship in which the Admiral 
was to be found. No small embarrassment this to 
the captains, as they were frequently expecting to 
see different signals made ; and it would be as im- 
possible for them, in that case, to know which of 
the flag orders they ought to obey, as it would be 
impossible to obey them all. 

I obtained permission of the Admiral, to go up 



THE RIVER DOURO. 75 

the Douro in my boat, merely intending to see the 
place, and with no expectation of having any thing 
to do ; but the Emperor sent me to inquire, why 
the Amelia had not, as she had been ordered, hoisted 
the standard, and saluted ; and while I was on my 
way, the Usurper s troops returned to Villa Nova, 
and commenced a fire with musketry from the win- 
dows, which the ships returned with their great guns. 

On getting down to my boat, my coxswain said, 
" Take care, Sir, a ball has just passed, close to me. 11 
I replied, " That's not pleasant, but I must go on 
board the Amelia at once; therefore get into the 
boat." I had on my cocked hat and uniform. On 
our way to the Amelia, we were not struck, it is 
true ; but that is all I can say, for, had some few, 
of from forty to fifty muskets, been a little better 
directed, we could not have escaped. I got on 
board, and found them at warm work. I told Ber- 
trand he had better hoist the standard; but as to 
a salute, that was not possible. Several of our men 
were killed and wounded, and I staid on board long 
enough to see that all would share the same fate, 



76 



ANECDOTES. 



if troops were not sent over to drive the enemy 
out of the houses. I therefore got into my boat 
again, and landed abreast of the Amelia, and was 
again peppered, both in the boat and along the shore. 
I went up to the Emperor, and told him what was 
going on ; and that troops must be pushed across. 
He desired the Admiral to send off to the ships 
for the flat boats. The Admiral assured him there 
were plenty of boats in the river ; the Emperor, 
however, insisted on having the flats, and made the 
Admiral write an order, for me to take out, to bring 
them in at once. I told his Majesty, " I will take 
the order out, but I think the lives of my men 
will be in danger." The Emperor said, " If you 
cannot get out of the river, you must walk to the 
Foz Castle, and take a boat there.' 1 I left the palace, 
and returned on board the Amelia, and there I told 
Captain Bertrand the pleasant duty I had to per- 
form, who said, 66 It is impossible ; you will get all 
your men killed." I replied, " I fear so, but / must 
go : yet, as I may as well take all the precautions 
I can to save ourselves, if possible, lend me an English 



ANECDOTES, 



77 



union jack." One was thrown into the boat, and 
placed on a staff in the bow, and I was just stepping 
into her, as the Admiral came on board, I told 
him the precaution I was using, on which he said, 
" Oh, never mind, don't go ; I have plenty of boats 
in the river, it is only the Emperor's wish, but it 
is quite useless; tear up the order which I gave 
you." This was on the quarter-deck of the Amelia, 
in presence of Captain Bertrand, and many others, 
some of whom I have no doubt must have observed 
it, though they were busy at their guns at 
the time. Not long after this, the troops were or- 
dered across the river, and the Admiral directed me 
to attend on the beach. While there, the Emperor, 
who was alwa}^ to be found where any thing was 
to be done, came up to me, and took my hand, with 
more than usual cordiality, addressing me at the 
same time in a manner so flattering, that I could 
attribute it to no other cause, than his having been 
informed, that I (having his permission to go either 
by the river or the Foz Castle) had chosen, certainly 
not the least dangerous route to convey the orders 
he had directed the Admiral to give me; and that 



78 



THE SECRETARY OF 



I had been stopped only by the Admiral himself 
insisting on the order being destroyed, as useless. 
Nor did I think it possible, that the most malicious 
ingenuity could have tortured this occurrence into 
charge or insinuation against me, till I read the 
following passage in a letter, dated 10th September 
1833, which the Admiral's secretary, Boid, addressed 
to me, with the intention, as he says, of proving 
he had always been my sincere friend ; but with 
the intention, as I believe, of bullying me into 
concealing his own and his master's infamy. " During 
the enemy's attack on the shipping in the Douro, 
on the 10th of July, 1832, when you refused 
to execute the commission given to you in person 
by Dom Pedro, on the plea that you would be ex- 
posed to a warm fire of the enemy's musketry, you. 
are probably not aware that the Emperor demanded 
from the Admiral a reason for your neglect of his 
orders on that day; to which the Admiral could 
only reply, by stating verbatim the reasons, as given 
by yourself ; upon which Dom Pedro strongly and 
justly animadverted, and said, 'If an Aide-de-camp 
of mine had behaved so cowardly, and refused, upon the 



ADMIRAL SERTORIUS. 



79 



same plea, to convey important orders across the field 
of battle, I will only ask what I should have done 
and said.' Did I (as any person inimicably disposed 
towards you would have done) ever comment on 
that affair to another individual? No, Sir, it has 
never escaped me until the present moment." Who, 
on reading this, his own account, of the Secretary's 
conduct towards his friend, will not most fervently 
pray to the Almighty, that with whatever inflictions 
it may be His pleasure to visit him while on earth, He 
at any rate will deliver him from the accursed friendship 
of such a creature as that, who heard an absent friend 
privately accused of most infamous cowardice, under 
circumstances greatly aggravating his criminality, and 
did not defend him ; who concealed from a friend the 
horrid imputation against him, and did not demand for 
him an open trial, and the opportunity of defending 
himself, but treasured the insinuation verbatim in 
his memory, that he might, at a future period, taunt 
his friend with the affectation of having believed 
it true? 

But, if the conduct of the Secretary was thus black, 



80 



MAJOR SHAW. 



what language can describe that of the Admiral? 
The Emperor demands of him, why his wishes had 
not been complied with ; and, instead of honourably 
avowing that he had thought the order unnecessary, 
and therefore had prevented its execution, he tells 
him that I had basely excused myself from carrying 
it out, on account of the fire of the musketry. Why 
was I not brought immediately before a court-martial, 
and shot, as I deserved to be ? Because there were 
abundance of witnesses at hand (with all the cir- 
cumstances fresh in their memory), both of my con- 
duct and of the Admiral's ; and had he dared to face 
me, either as prosecutor or witness, I could have 
proved, in the one case, that his charge was malicious ; 
and in the other, that his evidence was as " utterly 
and damnably false" as Major Shaw has said that of 
the Secretary was on the trial of Captain Rose. Oh 
for 

" A lash in every honest hand, 

" To scourge the rascals naked through the world." 

These two worthies allowed me to remain as second 
in command of the squadron, though, if I had been 



SAILING OF THE VESSELS. 



81 



guilty, ample proof of my cowardice on this occasion 
could have been easily produced. And> after I had 
taken them into an action quite hot enough for them, 
after the Admiral had borne public testimony to my 
courage, and I had resigned my ship, they say I was 
dismissed, for having acted in a cowardly manner 
about twenty years before. 

On the 16th, the Amelia, Villa Flor, and Eugtnie, 
came out of the river. The Rainha and Donna 
Maria weighed, and made sail. I took my friend, 
the steamer, in tow again ; and on the 19th we an- 
chored in Cascaes Bay, near the English squadron ; 
but in consequence of a message from Admiral 
Parker, the English Commander-in-Chief, the signal 
was made to weigh, and we anchored again in the 
south passage of the Tagus. We could now plainly 
see the enemy's squadron at anchor from Fort St. 
Julian to Belem. The next day, I was ordered to 
cruise off the Rock, always within signal distance. 
In the evening I chased a brig under Miguelite 
colours; I showed English. She was two miles to 
windward ; and as it must have taken us some time 
e 5 



82 



SAILING OF THE VESSELS. 



to come up with her, and the Admiral at that time 
had my recal up, I tried a ruse. I hoisted a Mi- 
gu elite flag at the main, and fired a gun to leeward. 
She immediately bore up, and I took possession of 
her. On the 23rd, the English squadron got under 
weigh, closed our Admiral, then hove to in line of 
battle, and each ship hoisted Donna Maria's flag at 
the main, and fired a royal salute, which was returned 
by our Admiral. During the time we had been oft' 
Lisbon, the squadron took six or seven large vessels 
with good cargoes, and they were sent to Oporto. 

On Friday, the 3rd of August, we observed the 
Admiral under weigh, with our recal up, and the 
enemy's squadron standing out, consisting of one ship 
of the line, one frigate, three corvettes, and three 
brigs, with a small vessel, supposed to be a gun-boat. 
We made all sail to join the Admiral, and crossed 
the enemy's bows. The line-of-battle ship fired a 
shot at us ; but it fell short. At nine o'clock at* night, 
the wind changed, which placed us to windward of 
the enemy. The Admiral made signal to prepare for 
action, and bore up. At ten, observed several 



enemy's squadron. 



83 



guns fired, and returned by the Admiral; but we 
could see nothing but a light on the Admiral's 
starboard bow, which passes a-head to the larboard ; 
nor do I think, from the sound of the guns, it could 
be close. However, the Admiral fired broadsides; 
and I fear much to the disturbance of the monsters of 
the deep, for his shot could do no other execution. 
The Admiral, since that night, has stated, that had I 
been in my station, he could have taken the enemy's 
frigate. I positively assert I was not a quarter of a 
mile astern of him all the time. But my officers can 
speak for themselves ; and should any reader of this 
at any time meet with any of them, I hope he will 
make inquiry. I will therefore give a list of them*. 

* A LIST OF THE OFFICERS OF THE DONNA MARIA. 

P. MINS, Captain. 

Quarter Deck . . Richard Robinson . First Lieutenant. 

After Gun, M. D. . Christopher Ludlow Second Lieutenant. 

Foremost Gun, M. D. Ross .... Third Lieutenant. 

Forecastle . . . — Gibson . . . Fourth Lieutenant. 

Cun Frampton . Master. 

Quarter Beck . . Chas. Popham Hill . Captain of Marines. 

Quarter Deck . . Burt . . . Lietitenant of Marines. 

The other officers' stations were below, with the surgeon. 



84 



ATTACK OF THE 



In the morning, we saw the enemy's squadron, with 
the exception of a brig and the small vessel. We had 
much manoeuvring with them for several days ; and 
they constantly tried the range of their guns, but the 
shot always fell short. The Amelia was the only 
one of our ships that could not sail ; all the rest, as a 
squadron, sailed better than the enemy. On the 5th, 
the Amelia was far astern of us, the enemy on our 
lee beam ; they tacked, and sent two of the fastest 
corvettes after her ; we tacked, and the Admiral made 
the Amelia signal " To provide for her safety She 
tacked, and endeavoured to draw the corvettes on ; 
but they gave up the chase, and the Amelia parted 
company. The men, and indeed the Admiral, and all 
the officers, were tired of this constant excitement, 
and it was determined to run through the enemy's 
squadron one night, and see what could be done. 
This was a bold step for two frigates to make against 
so many and such large ships. We made several 
attempts, but whenever we put our helm up, they 
did the same. On the 8th, I thought it impossible to 
avoid an action, for the enemy were on our lee bow, 



ENEMY S SQUADRON. 



85 



laying up for us on the opposite tack. They were 
nearly within gun-shot when they tacked; they were 
now a-beam of us, and soon after again tacked; we 
did the same. However, the wind shifted, and we 
were again well to windward of them. On the 10th, 
I went on board the Admiral's ship, when he told me 
he was determined to run through them that night. 
As the Donna Maria was not stiff, I begged he 
would give me a signal before he bore up, in time to 
make ready, and said, that until that signal was made, 
I would not sling my topsail yards in chains. He 
then appointed a light in each quarter of his cabin, 
that the enemy might not see it. As I already knew 
he had a most treacherous memory, of which I have 
since, unfortunately, had signal proofs, I repeated my 
request, as I left the ship. At 8. 30. the Admiral put 
his helm up, but showed me no lights ; and as he had 
often done the same to near the enemy, I thought he 
was only doing so now. I therefore remained as I 
was. We were now near the frigate, and a shot 
struck our foretop-sail halyards, and the yard came 
down. I no longer waited for the lights, but beat to 



86 



ATTACK OF THE 



quarters. We passed under the frigate's stern; the 
Admiral gave her a few broadsides, and we did the 
same. I then asked the Admiral what he meant to 
do, for he had hauled up, and we were therefore close 
to his stern. He said, Haul your wind on the star- 
board tack : we did so. The Don John had gone 
about, and was firing at us, as we were the nearest 
ship, and the frigate and the other ships were astern, 
firing some few shot. The Don John was now broad 
on our quarter, and our Admiral in the same way on 
our bow, so that we were, naturally, the ship fired at. 
It was at this time that Lieutenant Ross, of the fore- 
most guns on the main deck, came to report that he 
could not get his guns to bear, and asked me if I had 
observed the Admiral firing his stern guns, for he 
said that the men at his quarter told him that he was 
firing them. I went to the gangway, and most cer- 
tainly I thought so too, and can as positively assert 
that, had he fired them, they would have done 
execution. 

The Donna Maria always sailed worse than the 
Rainha, and now we were so cut to pieces, that 



enemy's squadron. 



87 



we dropped astern much, and had the brunt of the 
fire. The mizen mast was so badly wounded, that 
- I was afraid, at every movement of the ship, to see 
it go ; back-stays were got up, but still it was unsafe. 
I must say, I was surprised the Admiral did not 
either shorten sail himself, or hoist my signal to make 
more. My officers asked me to set the royals and 
mainsail ; but I said, " No ; this is the first ship I 
have ever commanded in action, and I will only follow 
the Admiral's motions, or obey his signals. 1 ' Soon 
after he set his mainsail, and royals — then we did so 
also; but immediately the foot-rope of the mainsail 
was cut, and the sail split up the centre by shot. 
After being in this state more than half an hour, we 
certainly experienced great pleasure in seeing the 
Don John tack ; she was then about half a mile on 
our beam, and the Admiral more than that on our 
bow. — ( See Plate.) It was no amusement for a frigate 
to play long ball with a ship of the line, and we were 
sadly cut up ; but fortunately they fired high, and we 
therefore suffered in the rigging, and sails. We had 
only eight shot in the hull ; and one man killed, and 



88 



THE LOG OF 



about twelve wounded, The Admiral's ship had 
some shot in the hull, and sustained about the same 
loss as ourselves in killed and wounded. The men 
deserve the greatest credit, not only for their conduct 
in action, but for their activity in putting things to 
rights, which was soon done. Next morning we saw 
the enemy's squadron : the line of battle ship with her 
maintop-mast down. The Admiral signalled his thanks 
to the officers, and ship's company, for their gallant 
behaviour. The seamen of the Donna Maria were, 
however, much dissatisfied with his conduct ; and many 
unpleasant remarks were made to his crew, by our 
men, when in their boats. 

When the master, who, not being a naval man, did 
not know what was necessary in giving the minutes of 
a naval action, brought me the log of the day, I said, 
" This is not the thing at all ; you here state where a 
man was wounded, and where a shot hit the ship : 
leave that for the surgeon and carpenter to do. Your 
duty is, to give the relative positions, and movements 
of the ships of the two squadrons ; get that done by 
the officers, and when they have approved of it, and 



THE DONNA MAMA* 



89 



signed it, bring it to me" He shortly afterwards 
returned to me, with what I conceived to be a proper 
account, signed by all the officers, having torn out the 
leaf which he had at first brought me, not thinking 
he was guilty of any impropriety in so doing, as that 
had not been signed by any of the officers (I was not 
aware of this till some time after). In the log he 
now brought me were these words — " Admiral nearly 
a-head of her" (the enemy's line-of-battle ship), 66 on 
our starboard bow, firing his stern guns." All the 
officers thought they had seen them fired, though it 
appears they were mistaken ; yet all officers can do, is 
to record circumstances according to their belief at 
the time ; and they can no more send to the ships 
of their own squadron than to those of the enemy's, for 
information, before making entries in their logs re- 
specting their manoeuvres during an engagement ; but 
that no disparagement of the courage of the Rainha 
was, in this instance, intended, will be abundantly 
proved, by the fact of my having subsequently fired 
my own stern guns, when placed in a position that re- 
quired it. And if Sertorius is not sailor enough to fire 



90 



ARRIVAL OFF 



any gun, and every gun, which he can bring effectively 
to bear on the enemy, without fear of the imputation 
of cowardice, he must attribute it more to his own 
ignorance, than to any fault of mine; who only 
narrated what I thought I saw, and what I knew 
would have been serviceable, from the position of 
the enemy. 

We were now playing our old game of humbug 
with them until the 15th, when the wind changed, 
and gave them the weather gage. They bore up, and 
set all their studding sails in chase of us. We kept 
our sails lifting, to permit their frigate and a 
corvette, which were much a-head of their other ships, 
to get near us ; but they did not like to venture too 
near ; and at last shortened sail, and hauled their wind. 
It was somewhat strange to see the change of affairs ; 
we were now chasing them. In the evening it fell 
quite calm, and the enemy's ships were rather scat- 
tered. The Rainha took me in tow, and the steamer 
alongside her, and in this way we were towed, at the 
rate of three knots per hour, towards our foes, who 
were all in confusion, getting out their boats, and the 



OPORTO. 



91 



smaller ships using their sweeps. Had the calm lasted 
half an hour more, some of them must have fallen 
into our hands ; but a breeze sprung up, and no more 
could be done. We were now joined by a corvette, 
and another steamer ; but the calm, and our steamers, 
evidently alarmed the enemy, and we saw no more of 
them. On the 17th, the Amelia joined us, and reported 
she saw the enemy's squadron, under all sail, steering 
for Lisbon : we soon after heard of their arrival there. 
It appeared they suffered some damage from our 
brush with them, and had to get some new masts, and 
other repairs. We anchored off Oporto, and were 
busily employed taking in water and provisions. 
- The way the Admiral managed this cruise has 
gained him great credit, and I think with justice; 
but I must not be made to give his judgment any 
credit for leaving me — a worse sailing ship, much cut 
up in sails, rigging, and spars — exposed to the fire of 
the enemy, when he was distancing me, and nearly 
a-head of them. The seamen of the Donna Maria 
were certainly outrageous about this, and used strong 
terms in speaking of it ; but I never, for one moment, 



92 



AREIVAL OFF 



either then, or since, considered his conduct on this 
occasion was to be attributed to a want of courage, 
but rather to an error in judgment. The very running 
down with two frigates to attack such a superior force, 
proves there was no cowardice. The Admiral de- 
manded for the senior officers the honour of the 
Knights of the Tower and Sword ; and, after much 
reluctance on the part of the Emperor, it was granted. 
Had we earned it ? or did we deserve to have it ? or 
what had we done for it ? I looked upon it in the same 
way that children have rewards given them for saying 
their lessons tolerably well, as an inducement to do 
them better another time. 

On the 22nd of July, the Rainha, the Donna Maria, 
each with a steamer in tow, and the Coquette schooner, 
again got under weigh for Lisbon. On the 24th, an 18- 
gun brig, The Twenty-third of July, and the Eugenie 
schooner, joined us ; and we arrived the next day off 
the mouth of the Tagus. The English squadron were 
at anchor in Casgaes bay. The Miguelite ships were 
far up the river, except two corvettes and three brigs, 
which were at their old station. After communicating 



THE MOUTH OF THE TAGUS. 



93 



with an English man-of-war, the Admiral signalled 
me — " The enemy's frigate lost eight killed and thirty 
wounded; have shifted foremast; Don John and a 
brig much damaged, but are ready for sea, and expect- 
ed out in three days.' 1 Information of their expected 
movements being thus obtained the moment we arrived, 
why did we not get together those of our ships which 
were ready, and hasten those which were preparing, 
that we might be ready to attack them the instant they 
came out ? And why was not a place of rendezvous 
appointed, that the whole squadron might be certain 
of readily forming a junction, instead of subjecting 
the men to a repetition of the harrassing service they 
had so lately endured, when, owing to the neglect of 
such a necessary precaution, they had only gone to bed 
two nights during a fortnight, and I not once ; neither 
had I had my clothes off during that time ? 

On the 6th of September, at daylight, we saw a 
large ship about one mile a-head, rather on our lee 
bow. The Admiral was on the lee quarter, distant 
about three miles, both of us having a steamer in tow. 
I made the signal — "A strange sail," and the stranger 



94 



CONDUCT OF 



hoisted Miguelite colours. Fearing she might escape, 
as we were not far from the land, I hoisted the 
enemy's flag, and fired a gun, when she hove-to, and 
I lowered a boat, giving Lieutenant Browne orders to 
take her to the Admiral. The Admiral had never 
answered my signal, which was still up, but now made 
that, " Hoist in, and up all boats." I hauled mine 
down, and answered his ; but I could not obey it, as 
my boat was gone. His ship soon passed near the 
prize, and I heard him hail my officer in a dreadful 
rage — " Go on board your own ship directly, Sir; 
how dare you board any vessel when I am within sig- 
nal distance ! " Away came my boat, and in about a 
quarter of an hour he sent his own, and took possession 
of the prize. I still think I acted right, as the Ad- 
miral did not answer my signal, and there was danger 
of her escaping ; but I have stated this transaction in 
detail, that naval men may judge whether I was right 
or wrong. If I erred, my error arose from ignorance, 
and zeal for the service. A day or two afterwards I 
went on board the Admiral's ship, with letters from 
England. As soon as he saw me, he said, " I am 



ADMIRAL SERTORIUS. 



95 



very angry with you for boarding that vessel, when I 
was in sight." I replied, " that, as he was so far off, 
and my signal was not answered, I was fearful of 
losing her, and expected I should have been blamed if 
I had not secured her." It had never been the Admi- 
ral's custom to treat his captains with the respect to 
which they were entitled : he constantly made the sig- 
nal for captains, when that for midshipmen would have 
been the proper one ; and addressed them with a su- 
perciliousness that indicated that he thought them 
much his inferiors, both in rank and knowledge. His 
manners but too often reminded me that he had ap- 
proximated to the truth, when, in England, he con- 
fessed " that he felt rather rusty." He was, indeed, 
very rusty ; and I believe all can testify, that, up to 
the time of his leaving the squadron, his rust adhered 
so closely to him, that there was little expectation of 
his ever taking a polish. On the present occasion, his 
tone and language were insulting beyond every thing 
I had ever yet been obliged to endure ; — that Li it was 
like a mere merchant ship, to lower a boat in that 
privateering manner — that he had been told, by one of 



96 



CONDUCT OF 



his midshipmen, that, in our last brush, I fired all 
my guns with their coins out, which prevented my 
doing the execution I ought to have done ; that my 
ship was always in mutiny, and nothing but a mer- 
chantman" — were some of the maddening observations 
in which he indulged. It seemed to me, that an Ad- 
miral who thus, on his quarter-deck, addressed one of 
his captains, could have no other object than to seek a 
quarrel, and I was far too much excited to shun one, 
I replied, with warmth, that the Emperor had re- 
peatedly exclaimed, while on board his (the Admi- 
ral's) ship, and I instanced the time when the main- 
topmast was got up with the fid-hole fore and aft, 
" What a merchantman I am in" — that my men had 
never pointed the guns aft, as his had at Fayal ; that 
in the late skirmish, I had particularly impressed upon 
the officers the necessity of firing low, rather than 
high ; — of remembering that the ship was very crank, 
and of keeping all the coins in (all except two were 
kept in), as they would have to fire from to windward; 
and that I felt confident, notwithstanding all the dis- 
advantages under which I laboured, that the Rainha 



ADMIRAL SERTORIUS. 



97 



was inferior to the Donna Maria in order and ap- 
pearance, while the discipline of my men was better 
than that of his ; and mine were competent to perform 
these evolutions in a superior manner ; and I could 
confidently appeal to the British squadron, who could 
form a just opinion, from having been so much near 
us." Severe language, this, to address to a Com- 
mander-in-Chief; but the gross impropriety of his 
own conduct had provoked me, and having seen that 
I would not succumb to him, he knew very well how 
to submit to it. I will take this place to say, that 
when I took the command of the Donna Maria, I 
adopted the rules and orders of my old captain, Dean 
Dundas *, who will long rank high as a sailor and 
officer, under whom I had served in the Mediter- 
ranean, and whom I endeavoured to take for my 
model in every thing, except his plan of punishment, 
which I thought too severe ; and further, that during 
the whole time I commanded the Donna Maria I 
flogged but five men. 

* Appendix, No. XXVIII. 
F 



98 



DISSATISFACTION OF 



The feelings, however, of all my officers, as well 
as my own, had been so much hurt, that I deter- 
mined to write for a court-martial to the Emperor 
direct, meaning to send it through the Admiral ; but, 
afterwards reflecting that my letter was of a private 
nature, I requested the Minister of Marine (the Ad- 
miral not being present) to be the medium of its 
conveyance*. In the mean time, the officers, being 
indignant at the slurs which had been cast upon 
them, particularly at the Admiral having accused the 
ship of not being in her station when the enemy 
first came out, and when the Rainha was firing, at 
God knows what ! that they begged me to request 
the Admiral would inquire into their conduct, and 
send officers to inspect the state of the ship, and ascer- 
tain the discipline of the men — their skill in the great 
gun and small-arm exercise — and the precision with 
which they performed their other evolutions: but 
in consequence of the breach between us, I declined 
going on board his ship again, till sent for; and 



* Appendix, No. XXIX. 



THE OFFICERS. 



99 



when that time arrived, circumstances occurred, which 
tended to aggravate our differences. However, it hap- 
pened, that on Sunday the 9th, Captain Crosbie, the 
Admiral's flag captain (but to whom no blame can 
attach for the disorderly state of the Rainha ) came 
on board to see me. I took him round the ship, 
when the men were at divisions. During the time he 
was on board, we had both to make and shorten sail, 
and he remarked to Captain Hill, of the Marines, and 
the first lieutenant, that he saw the greatest difference 
between the two ships, for his was altogether like a 
merchantman, while in the Donna Maria, every 
thing was in the style of an English man-of-war ; be- 
sides which, the men, especially the marines, looked 
much cleaner than those of the Rainha. I knew that 
all this was true; but I was not a little, though 
most agreeably surprised, when I afterwards heard 
that Captain Crosbie had admitted it to be so. How- 
ever, I repeat that, in the Rainha, the Admiral made 
a mere cypher of Captain Crosbie, and was in reality 
his own captain, and was desirous of being captain of 
every ship in the squadron. I think Captain Crosbie 



100 



ACTION WITH 1 



cannot have forgotten his visit, and the remarks he 
made ; and I have little doubt both are fresh in the 
memory of Captain Hill and Lieutenant Robinson. 

On the 11th, at 10. a.m., the Admiral made the sig- 
nal, " Enemy's ships coming out of port and in a 
short time we saw them, one ship of the line, one 
frigate, two corvettes, two brigs, and a steamer. Our 
force consisted of two frigates, one brig, a schooner, 
and two steamers. The steamers had expended hardly 
any coals since they had been at sea: yet, though 
they could stow, the one sufficiently for thirty-five 
days, and the other for twenty, they left Oporto (where 
there was abundance in store) one with only four- 
teen days'*, and the other ten days 1 consumption on 
board ; and now they were let adrift, as we were ne- 
cessarily obliged to be on our guard. As soon as 
the enemy made their appearance, a small schooner, 
of one gun, was ordered to convey dispatches to 
Oporto, the Lieutenant of which, having made prize 
of a brig, on his way, carried her to Falmouth, where 
he plundered her, and then decamped. On the 8th, 
there having been a strong breeze, we observed the 



THE ENEMY. 



101 



enemy's steamer towing one of their brigs, which had 
lost her fore and maintop-masts. We bore up for 
them, and I fully expected the Admiral intended to 
bring them to action ; for he had always assured me 
he would attack them with the first breeze, and now 
we had one so strong as to have prevented the line-of- 
battle ship's lower deck-ports being much opened ; one 
of their brigs too was disabled ; but alas ! we only 
neared them, and then hauled up. The next day, we 
saw the enemy's steamer sinking, and their frigate 
having hove to, close to her, was evidently taking her 
men out ; — here again was an excellent opportunity, 
for it still blew ; but no advantage was taken of it. 
The Admiral evidently seemed to think it was always 
unfair to take advantage of an enemy; — an amiable 
weakness, no doubt arising from his over-fastidious 
delicacy of feeling towards his enemies, though his 
friends cannot charge him with ever having allowed 
it to overpower his better judgment with respect to 
themselves. One of our steamers was now sent away 
with dispatches, to order, as I was told, the other 
ships to join us. The enemy's dismantled brig, which 
kept well to leeward, was not re-rigged till the 14th. 



102 



GALE OF WIND. 



It was now blowing hard from the north-east, 
and we were under close-reefed topsails, and reefed 
courses ; yet, with all the anxiety and exertions of the 
officers, which were increased, in consequence of the 
misunderstanding between the Admiral and myself, 
we found it very difficult to keep the Donna Maria 
in her station, on account of her being so short, and 
doing nothing in a head sea; yet, so far from 
lending us any assistance, he would frequently, just 
as it became dark, alter his sails, which, as he could 
not show a light in the presence of the enemy, we 
did not always perceive. It has frequently happened, 
that twice in the twenty-four hours we have been 
carried out by the swell, and drifted from the 
weather, to the lee quarter ; and as often have we had 
to make sail, and wear, in order to obey that most 
troublesome signal, " Keep your station," which, as 
if to make us the laughing stock of the squadron, 
he kept always up ; and, to complete his systematic 
annoyance, he addressed to me a strongly-worded 
order on the subject*. On Sunday, the 16th, the 



* Appendix, No. XXX. 



LETTER. 



103 



other steamer was dispatched, I know not where. 



This day I was vexed, and distressed, more than I 



selves and the crew of Her Majesty's Ship, beg leave most respectfully 
to solicit your interference with the Commander-in-Chief, in respect 
of redress to a general grievance, which is apparent to every man in 
the ship, viz. that our force is by no means adequate to meet the 
enemy to any advantage ; and running, as we are at present, from any 
means of assistance, without our knowing to what purpose, is a general 
cause of discontent. Further, we do sincerely and solemnly protest, 
that this ship is by no means seaworthy; and in the condition she 
is in at present, it is at the risk of ourselves to be at sea in her ; 
particularly when it comes to blow but half a gale of wind. That we 
shall, to the utmost o-f our power, when called upon, act as Britons 
ought, against the common enemy; but in the present state of 
affairs, we most sincerely wish for an explanation as to the course to 
be pursued. 




receipt of the following letter, 



from the men : — 




We remain, Honoured Sir, with respect, 

Your obedient Servants, 



William Davie, 
John Dawson,.. 



Captain Forecastle. 

B. Mate. 

Ditto. 

Quarter Master. 
Captain Main Top. 
. Quarter Master. 



John Ryan, 



James Marshal, . 
William Davies, 
John Wood, 



104 



LETTER FROM 



William Parker, Captain Fore Top. 

George Mollay, B. Mate. 

Adam Stow, Quarter Master. 

William Brown, Gunner's Mate. 

Hugh Hughes, B. Mate. 

Joseph Rumble, Captain Fore Top. 

John Williamson, B. Mate. 

Alexander Surrey, Captain Afterguard. 

Thomas Wipshot, ...... Captain Main Top. 

James Palmer, B. Mate. 

Stephen Merryman, Gunner's Mate. 

William Webb, Sergeant Marines. 

Patrick Hogan, Sergeant Marines. 

To Peter Mins, Captain. 

After some consideration, and consulting with my 
officers, I determined to speak to the men, and not 
to let the letter go out of the ship, if I found I could 
convince them of their folly, and satisfy them ; and I 
desired the officers to pay particular attention to 
what passed, to make minutes thereof, and bring them 
to me immediately ~ 

The following is a Copy of the Memorandum : — 

Captain Mins, having received a letter from the 
seamen, stating that the ship was not sea-worthy, and 
the men dissatisfied, made the following remarks : — 

" Whatever may be the opinion of the ship's 



THE PETTY OFFICERS. 



105 



company with regard to the Admiral's conduct, I will 
never, while I remain here as captain of this ship, 
allow any man on earth to question the Admiral's 
conduct in my presence. If his conduct is blameable, 
there are officers sufficient to judge whether he does 
his duty or not, and it is not by men, from whom the 
Admiral's motives must be necessarily concealed, that 
his conduct is to be estimated. With regard to the 
inefficiency of the ship, in point of sea-worthiness, I 
am the responsible person, and on me (if any) the 
blame must fall. As to our ability for attacking the 
enemy, I will tell you, so far, that we have such and 
such ships (naming the number and force) expected 
by to-morrow night — a force sufficient to crush the 
enemy at once, which is an object of as much import- 
ance to the success of our cause, as the failure or the 
defeat of our fleet would tend to its complete ruin. The 
only part of your letter which I can at all approve, is 
the close, in which you say that whatever may happen, 
you will still behave with the spirit of Britons ; and 
that I shall not be disappointed in this respect, I am 
(from your previous conduct) perfectly confident." 
f 5 



106 



REMARKS OF THE SEAMEN. 



To the remark in the letter, " That our force is by 
no means adequate to the enemy the Captain 
answered, " It is not the Admiral's intention to 
attack the enemy, until our other ships come down 
from Oporto ; and as the steamers and schooner have 
been dispatched for them, we may expect them here, 
if you keep a good look-out at the mast head, by 
to-morrow night. As for this ship, I can place so 
much confidence in her and my men, that by placing 
her against such a parcel of orange-fed rascals as the 
Don John's crew, I am certain we could knock her 
to pieces in a very short time."" 

Remarks made by Davie and Ryan: — " We 
will go into action with you, Captain Mins, with the 
greatest coolness ; but the Admiral may do as he did 
last time, take us into action, haul his wind, and leave 
us to fight it out ourselves." 

Another remark made by Surrey. — " I am sorry to 
say, Captain Mins, that the common seamen of the 
Rainha (flag-ship) knows more about what we are 
going to do than the captain of this ship." 



CHASE OF THE ENEMY. 



107 



Having succeeded in bringing the men back to 
their duty, I meant to forget this unpleasant occur- 
rence ; but my determination of resigning, remained 
unaltered, though circumstances prevented my carry - 
ing it into effect. 

On the 19th, the brig and schooner were sent in 
chase of a large ship to the westward, which they 
captured, The St. Joa Magnanimo frigate, mount- 
ing about twenty-six guns, laden with a valuable 
cargo, and having about twenty-three thousand dol- 
lars on board. 

On the afternoon of the 22nd, the Admiral bore 
up, and made all sail; we did the same, steering S.E. 
I supposed we were going to leave the enemy, and 
join our other ships. The next day the wind shifted, 
and we chased a schooner; but the Rainha, espe- 
cially in light breezes, sailed much better than the 
Donna Maria, and had, just as it was becoming 
dark, got about eight miles off, on the starboard tack, 
the chase being on her weather quarter, consequently, 
in order to board her, the Rainha, must get on the 
larboard-tack, — the Admiral did not make me anv 



108 



BLOCKADE OF 



signal ; he had not, as usual, given me any instruc- 
tions, nor appointed any place of rendezvous ; and a9 
I was particularly anxious not to part company with 
him, I charged the officer of the watch to maintain 
a good look out, and to keep the ship on the lar- 
board-tack, the last the Admiral must have been on ; 
and to let me know if he saw a light, or any signal. 
At one o'clock in the morning, he reported to me a 
light on the lee-bow, I said, " It must be the Ad- 
miral's ship, make all sail after her." At day-light we 
saw a large ship on the lee-bow, and followed her, 
still believing it to be the Admiral's, though I thought 
it rather strange he would not allow us to join him ; 
but I was still more surprised, when I saw the ship 
enter the Tagus; she had carried the wind round 
Cape Rock, and we were becalmed. I was in a sad 
dilemma, for want of instructions in what direction 
to seek the Admiral. I boarded several vessels with- 
out obtaining any news ; till at last, I learnt, from a 
steamer, that our smaller ships were off Oporto, for 
which place I shaped my course, to join them. On the 
27th, I fell in with them, under the command of 



THE TAGUS, 



109 



Captain George, with directions to blockade the 
Tagus * ; but to cover as much ground as possible 
in his way. As it was important he should join the 
Admiral, and to send the earliest intelligence to the 
Government by the steamer which accompanied him, 
I therefore took him under my command, and sent the 
steamer to Oporto, with dispatches -f*, and awaited 
her return off Figuera. She came back on the 29th, 
having met the Admiral off Oporto, with orders from 
him J, and we joined him and the rest of the squadron 
there the next morning. He immediately made my signal, 
and on my going on board, said, in a very imperious 
tone, " You will state to me immediately, your rea- 
sons for parting company." — w I had anticipated that 
you would ask me this question,"" I replied ; u and 
therefore have brought a copy of my log." — M You have 
written to the Emperor, I understand," was his next 
observation, " complaining of me." — " I have written," 
I told him, " to request a court-martial on myself." 

* Appendix, Nos. XXXI., XXXII., and XXXIII. 
t Appendix, Nos. XXXIV. and XXXV. 
t Appendix, No. XXXVI. 



110 



LOG OF 



He demanded a copy, which I promised to send him, 
as I subsequently did *. He then made the signal 
for " Captains," and calling all his officers together, 
produced, to my surprise and amusement, the frag- 
ments of the sheet which had been torn out, and the 
ship's log, which had been altered, and which was as 
follows : — 

" P.M. wind from the north, 9. 15. Admiral bore 
up; followed Admiral's motions; anxiously looking 
for lights ; prepare to engage ; 9. 25. beat to quar- 
ters, being near the enemy, no signal having been 
made; observed enemy's line-of-battle ship tack, and 
stand towards their frigate in her rear ; 9. 30. opened 
fire on enemy's frigate ; 9. 40. hailed the Admiral, to 
' know what he meant to do ; he desired to haul the 
wind on starboard tack, which we did, following him. 
At this time enemy's line-of-battle ship on our star- 
board-quarter, firing at us, and the frigate at the same 
time under our stern ; 9. 55. the enemy's line-of-battle 
ship on our starboard beam about half a mile ; Ad- 
* Appendix, No. XXIX. 



THE DONNA MARIA. 



Ill 



miral on starboard bow about half a mile. We were 
so cut up in running rigging and sails, with miz en- 
mast badly wounded, as not to be able to keep close 
to the wind, and were engaged with enemy's line-of- 
battle ship for half an hour ; Admiral nearly a-heact 
of her, on our starboard bow, firing Ins stern guns ; 
luffing up now and then, and firing broadsides ; ob- 
served Admiral set his mainsail and royals, did the 
same; 10. 20. observed enemy's line-of-battle ship 
take in her topmast studding sail, and haul down her 
head sails, and slacken her fire very much ; 10. 40. 
observed her tack, when we were out of shot ; shifted 
the mainsail ; employed knotting and splicing the rig- 
ging, fishing the mizen-mast, and repairing other 
damages ; Admiral on starboard bow one mile ; mid- 
night all to rights ; gave each man a glass of spirits ; 
found we had one man killed and five wounded ; re- 
ceived eight shots in the hull, and thirty-two in masts, 
sails, and rigging." 

I told him I was ready to answer any charge, bring 
it forward in what shape he would ; but that I did not 



ANNOYING CONDUCT OF 



consider he was acting with justice towards me, in 
thus endeavouring to prejudice against me the offi- 
cers by whom I must be tried. He required to be 
furnished with a copy of the letter the seamen had 
written to me, and desired to know, why I had not 
sent it to him. I told him, because, having convinced 
the men of the impropriety of their conduct, and 
allayed the feelings which had dictated that letter, I 
did not like to annoy him, by letting him know any 
thing about it. After much discussion of these mat- 
ters, he told me he would hoist his flag in my ship. 

The truth is, the Admiral had been mean enough 
to employ spies on my words, and actions ; and so 
weak, as to give ready credence to such tales as spies 
are likely to tell. He had found one ready agent, in 
a young man, the second master of the Donna Maria. 
I will not name him, for I do not wish to injure him, 
and am content to leave him to the upbraidings of his 
own conscience ; — a young man, to whom I had been 
very kind, but one of those dirty fellows who forgets 
every kindness he has received, as soon as reproof is 
inflicted on him for a fault. He misconducted himself 



THE AMIRAL. 



IIS 



in my ship, and was removed to the " Twenty-third 
of July" a brig commanded by the gallant Captain 
Morgell ; he was ultimately turned out of her, and sent 
back to England. He, it was, who conveyed this leaf of 
the log-book to the Admiral ; and from this, and simi- 
lar polluted sources, those calumnies which have been 
circulated against me owe their origin. Neither for 
them, however, or those which were altogether of the 
Admiral's own invention, did I care the least, or 
fear submitting my conduct to any investigation ; 
though it will be seen hereafter, that he had neither 
the honour nor the courage, to stand forth my 
open accuser ; and was ashamed to produce his tools 
in evidence, when the Emperor gave Mm the oppor- 
tunity, by assembling a court-martial to try me; 
though that court adjourned for three weeks, in 
order to give him time to appear himself, and produce 
his evidence. He now came on board my ship, and, 
turning the hands up, told them that, since they had 
called him a coward in the last action, he was come to 
fight the next with them. Two days afterwards, he 
assembled all the officers in my cabin, and asked them 



114 



ARRIVAL AT 



if the statement in the log was true, to which they all 
replied, that it was perfectly correct, " Then, gentle- 
men, I am much obliged to you all for calling me a 
coward," he exclaimed ; and turning round in a great 
rage, went upon deck. 

On the 2nd, we anchored with the whole squadron 
at the Bayonna Islands, and were employed in set- 
ting the rigging to rights, and getting the ships in 
order. The enemy were riding about six miles off, in 
Vigo Bay. In two days time, while we were at break- 
fast, the Admiral abruptly addressed me, " You will 
send Mr. Robinson, your first lieutenant, to the 
Rainha ; Mr. Ludlow, your second, to the corvette ; 
and I will find some other ship for Mr. Ross, your 
third. 1 '' This unexpected insult was rather too much 
for me, and I therefore said, " I resign my ship to 
you, Sir, at once." — " Oh, very well," he replied, " I 
am very glad of it; make the signal for Captain 
Morgell, whom I shall appoint to her." I went upon 
deck, and did so. The Admiral soon after came up, 
when Robinson and Ludlow requested me to return 
their commissions to him ; I advised them not to give 



THE BAYONNA ISLANDS. 



115 



them up ; I should not, I told them, surrender mine, 
except to Dom Pedro, from whom I received it : but 
as they had no wish to retain their's, I did as they 
desired. The Admiral took the commissions, merely 
saying, " very well ;" but, after a turn up and down 
the deck, told me he should not receive them ; and 
that those two officers were to consider themselves 
under arrest, and that he should accept my resignation 
only " My resignation," I replied, "is, not however 
to prevent the court-martial I have demanded." — " You 
cannot," he said, " be tried, if you resigned :" and I 
rejoined, " then I hope to find, when I get to Oporto, 
that I have interest sufficient to obtain a trial by 
court-martial ;" upon which, he refused to accept my 
resignation. But I told him, "it is now too late ; 
you have, Sir, accepted it, on the quarter deck ; and 
from that moment I do not consider myself Captain 
of the ship." Captain Morgell now came on board ; 
and on being desired to take the command of her, 
requested the Admiral to give him an hour for con- 
sideration. To the great credit of that valuable and 
gallant officer, he employed the time in endeavour- 



116 CAPTAIN M0RGELL, 

ing to persuade me to seek a reconciliation with 
the Admiral. I pointed out the scandalous manner 
in which I had been treated by him throughout; 
the sacrifices I had made in assisting him to equip 
the expedition ; the repeated breaches of solemn pro- 
mises made to me; and the subsequent shameless 
insults, which had been unceasingly heaped upon 
me, and the small hope I had of acquiring honour, 
of rendering any service to the Queen, or of even 
barely performing the duties of captain, with credit, 
while under his command. But Captain Morgell 
told me, I had certainly committed an error in speak- 
ing my mind so freely to my officers respecting the 
Admiral's conduct ; and entreated me, at that moment, 
to forget all of which I complained, rather than 
risk an appearance prejudicial to me, by resigning 
in the presence of the enemy's squadron. To such 
honourable, and disinterested arguments, it was im- 
possible not to yield. I went to the Admiral, and 
told him, that I came, by Captain MorgelFs advice, 
to say, I was sorry I had spoken of him in the 
manner in which I had, before my officers ; and that 



IN ^ CO -H <ri 




AND THE ADMIRAL. 



117 



I requested he would shake hands with me, and let 
all that had passed on both sides be forgotten. "It 
shall all be settled," he replied, " if you will repeat 
that before the Captains of the squadron." I did 
so, and we shook hands. 

The Admiral placed his other hand on his heart, 
saying, "All that has taken place up to this mo- 
ment, I give you my honour shall never be mentioned, 
or thought of again." Notwithstanding, my two lieu- 
tenants were the same day sent out of the ship, and 
replaced by two strangers to me, just on the eve of 
-an engagement. 

On Wednesday, the 10th of October, at daylight, 
we observed the enemy's squadron under weigh, and 
standing for the South Channel. We weighed, and 
went out by the same channel with them. In the 
evening we tried a rocket ; but the frame burst, with- 
out doing much harm. — 11th at 1. 50 a.m., a light 
breeze enabled us to edge down within gun-shot, 
when the Rainha put a rocket into the Don John, 
and another into the frigate. The enemy now opened 
their fire, which was returned by the Rainha, and 



118 



ENGAGEMENT WITH 



ourselves, and the engagement became general. About 
2. 40. p.m., we observed the Rainha running between 
the enemy's line-of-battle ship and ourselves, with 
all sail set; I threw all aback, and put the helm 
up, which soon brought her on our weather bow, 
and there, not of much use, she remained the whole 
action. The Admiral said to me, " Where is the 
Rainha going f I, bearing in mind, what had been 
said about her, in the first action, replied, " Oh, never 
mind, Sir, she'll come back again ; " but unfortunately 
for the poor Donna Maria, she did not. The con- 
sequence was, for three hours, the fire of the ship 
of the line, of the frigate, and of a corvette, was 
centered on us. — (See plate.) 

At five o'clock, the wind had a little shifted, and 
the Don John was about three hundred yards on our 
lee quarter. It then struck me, I will now show the 
Admiral I am not ashamed to fire my stern guns, and 
I got them out, and gave her several shots with them, 
on which she bore up. I then turned the hands up, 
to put the ship to rights. The frigate was now seen 
on our weather quarter. We had just ropes enough 



THE ENEMY. 



119 



spliced to get on the other tack ; we therefore tacked, 
and about a quarter of an hour after, exchanged two 
or three broadsides with her, when she bore up. We 
were then all anxiety to get the ship ready again. By 
great exertions, all the ropes and shrouds were spliced 
and knotted, the masts and yards strongly fished, and 
the two courses (the only two sails rendered quite use- 
less) shifted. This was by 10. a.m. I then went down 
to the Admiral, and reported the ship ready to go into 
action, and asked if we should go on the other tack, 
and follow the enemy ? But, to my surprise, he 
made excuses. It has since been said, either by him, 
or for him, that his ships were so much cut up. Now 
the Rainha lost her jib-boom only, and had only eight 
shot in her hull ; while the other ships were not hurt 
at all, except the Donna Maria. She had eighty 
shot in the hull, it is true; was making water: but 
I had her all ready by 1° o'clock. 

Again, he himself (since Napier's gallant capture of 
the enemy's fleet) has said, that " He would have 
done the same on this occasion, if his men were not 
dissatisfied, and unwilling to fight, on account of their 



1^0 REMARKS ON THE ACTION. 

arrears of pay." If this be true, why did the Admiral, 
a few days after the action, as he was leaving the 
Donna Maria, to return to his own ship, turn the 
hands up, and tell them he was delighted at their 
conduct; that they had behaved most nobly and 
gallantly; and had done all that Jlesh and blood 
could do; and that he thanked them for their 
conduct? Can he have forgotten the reply of the 
men, who, alluding to the letter they had written to 
me respecting him, said, " We hope, Sir, that all that 
has happened, will now be forgotten or his own 
answer, " All, I promise you." This being the second 
time, within so short a period, of his pledging himself 
to bury all matters of offence in oblivion. And can 
he not remember Davies, the captain of the maintop, 
saying to him, " We were too far from them, Sir ; 
I hope next time you will take us nearer f* And 
will he persist, after being reminded of all this, in 
libelling these gallant crews, who never thought of 
their pay when the enemy was in sight? He, per- 
haps, may never have heard, or, having heard, has 
found it convenient to forget, that while the men 



REMARKS ON THE ACTION. 121 

were working hard to get the ship ready to renew the 
action, and he was thinking how far it was to Oporto, 
they asked me to give them some grog ; and on my 
telling them there was not time, that they must get the 
ship ready to fight again, they said, " We will work 
away, and only go down one at a time for the grog." 
Does he not remember too, that, in consequence of 
my having heard him address the men in terms of 
such high admiration, I said to him, " I hope, Sir, 
now you have told the men all shall be forgotten, 
you will allow my two lieutenants to return to me 
He gave them permission ; and as they came on board, 
the seamen crowded to the booms, and welcomed them 
with three cheers. 

That he wanted to communicate with Oporto, was the 
chief excuse that he could offer. I expostulated with 
him, and said, " I hope, Sir, you will not give them up 
now ; they are already well thrashed ; let us not give 
them time to repair their damages; the steamer can 
follow us ; and when your letters are ready, we can 
put them on board." — " No," he replied, " We shall 
see them again before they get to Lisbon, and I wish 

G 



122 INJUSTICE TO CAPTAIN GEORGE, 

to communicate with Oporto ! ! ! " I left him, and 
said, " This is too bad ; I never can stay with him 
after this."" Thus was I obliged to run away from 
a flying and a beaten squadron. What might we 
not have done then, if the Admiral had not been so 
anxious to get away from the enemy ? Let the recent 
capture by the same ships, but under the command 
of another man than Sertorius, of a squadron of much 
superior force, answer the question. 

Perhaps the terms of eulogy in which I am spoken 
of in the Admiral's dispatch, ought to prevent me 
from calling attention to that document : but I am 
more gratified, by finding that my conduct met with 
the approbation of my officers and men, than by any 
compliments paid me by that man, whose pusillani- 
mity and incompetence prevented us from gaining a 
decided victory, and crowning himself with laurels, 
which we were then ready, willing, and able to 
win for him. Besides, I feel it my duty to do 
justice to those officers, mention of whom was so im- 
properly omitted by him. I am far from wishing to 
detract from Colonel Williams, and Captain Boid ; 



AND LIEUTENANT KUXT0N. 



123 



but I think the compliments paid them, were not due 
to their services on this occasion. They had not 
even the opportunity of emulating, in zeal, vigilance, 
and activity, with Captain Popham Hill, of the Marines, 
to whom, I shall ever feel myself deeply indebted, 
not only for the courage, skill, and energy, evinced 
during this action, but for his previous exertions, 
on all occasions, in organizing and managing the 
marine force; or my first lieutenant, Wilson, who 
I think is particularly ill-used, in being passed un- 
noticed. This was the first engagement of the kind 
which he had been in, and his coolness and active 
intrepidity, ought to have been noticed ; nor is it 
fair to have omitted mention of the other captains, 
particularly Captain George, and Lieutenant Ruxton, 
of the Constitution and the Mindella, who nobly 
supported Captain Morgell. — I cannot say that all was 
done which might and ought to have been done ; but 
Captain Bertrand did his best ; it was no fault of his, 
that, when his ship was found to be in a disadvan- 
tageous position, no signal was made to him to take up 
another. The Admiral, in fact, never, during the 



124 



THE WOUND OF 



whole continuance of the action, made one signal, 
or gave one order, and, I believe, he never once even 
looked over the hammocks. A sailor must be sur- 
prised to read, that " finding that my larboard shrouds 
had suffered much, and that some of the guns on the 
same side had become temporarily unserviceable, I 
proceeded to put about, in order to engage on the 
starboard side*;" as if the shrouds on one side are 
safer than on the other. The truth is, we had but one 
gun disabled on the larboard side on the quarter 
deck, — one on the other side being in the same con- 
dition ; and more, we put about to attack the frigate, 
and not to fight the line-of-battle ship with the star- 
board side ; and after we had put about, there was no 
firing at all, for at least twenty minutes. There were 
killed and wounded, altogether, including those slightly 
scratched only, upwards of fifty ; but, as I did not 
like to swell the list unnecessarily, I omitted these 
last, and gave a list of thirty-four to the Admiral. 
When, however, I saw the dispatch in print, I found 



* Appendix, No. XXXVII. 



THE ADMIRAL. 



125 



the Admiral had inserted his own name among the 
slightly wounded, after the surgeon had signed the 
list; a circumstance I suppose he must have forgot- 
ten, when, on the 7th February, 1833, he spoke, in 
writing to the Minister of Marine, of the correcting 
an error in the proceedings of a ship, as being almost 
as improper as an interpolation of the Scriptures. 
And by this time, I have no doubt, his wound is so 
thoroughly healed, that he will be puzzled to tell his 
friends where he was hurt. It must have been slight, 
indeed, as no one in the ship heard any thing of it at 
the time. Perhaps he and his secretary succeeded in 
compounding that wonderful elixir, in the manufac- 
ture of which, Don Quixote and Sancho so egregi- 
ously failed. 

On the 20th, finding the enemy's squadron had re- 
entered the Tagus in a shattered condition, we anchored 
off Oporto, where the Admiral went on shore, and 
we waited for stores, preparatory to proceeding to Vigo 
Bay to refit. As the Donna Maria had received 
about ninety shot in her hull, and her lower masts were 
badly wounded, and she required so much repair, that 



126 



MISCONDUCT OF 



it was absolutely necessary to go to smooth water 3 
I could not think of leaving her in this condition, 
and therefore resolved to set her to rights before 
I resigned*. 

While we remained at anchor off Oporto, the Ad- 
miral was amusing himself on shore ; that is, he was 
quarrelling with the Ministers, but without the least 
appearance of wishing " to see the enemy ■(* again before 
they got to Lisbon." I received a verbal order J to 
land all my marines and small-arm men, seventy of the 
best of my ship's company, for the defence of the Foz 
Castle. The Commissary-General paid them two 
months in advance ; and yet, with this money in their 
pockets, the sailors were expected not to go into a 
grog shop, and not to drink any thing, except their 

* The Donna Maria expended, in the last action, 1350 shot, and 4300 
pounds of powder, 
f See p. 121. 

% " To the Captains and Commanders of Her Majesty's ships at 
Belle Isle. 

" It is the Vice-Admiral's commands, that all verbal orders pro- 
ceeding from the flag-ship shall in future be duly attended to. 

" By order of the Vice- Admiral, 

(Signed) " E. BOID." 



THE SAILORS. 



127 



allowance, — a forbearance never shown by Jack on 
shore, as long as there is a single shot in the locker. 
Forty men of the Rainha, and her marines, were sent 
on the same service. They all got drunk — refused 
to remain in the Castle — and behaved so mutinously, 
that it was necessary to send them to the prison-ship ; 
and the Admiral forwarded an order to Captain 
Croshie and myself, forbidding us to receive them 
on board again. 

I was aware that the Admiral always seemed to 
think that my men were too much attached to me and 
their officers, and appeared to seek an opportunity of 
getting them away from me. 

And yet I could not at that moment be surprised 
at this order; nor should I now complain of it, 
(though in my own ship, I could have managed them 
very well, and have kept them to their duty) if it had 
not afterwards been but too apparent that it was given, 
not to punish the offenders, and be a warning to the 
rest, but for the purpose of annoying and insulting 
me. 

In a few days a steamer came out of the Douro with 



128 



STRANGE CONDUCT OF 



a number of these men, and having delivered the 
Rainha\ men to her, hailed me to take mine. This, 
immediately in the face of the order, appeared so 
strange, that I sent to the Admiral, who had gone on 
board that morning, to inquire if I was to receive 
them ; a verbal answer was returned, that he would 
not permit them to be taken on board. He afterwards 
again went on shore ; and, when I saw him there, I 
pointed out to him the state the ship was in — how she 
had been knocked about in the action, and that she 
was now making seventeen feet of water a day, while 
I, being deprived of my marines, sixty in number, 
and seventy of my crew, besides those killed and 
wounded in the action, had only about one hundred 
and seventy remaining, a number wholly insufficient 
to set her to rights ; and I begged, that, as he had 
allowed the Rainha to have her hands back, he would 
let me, too, have mine again. But my representations 
and request availed nothing. He said he would " sooner 
work himself, than let them return and that the 
RainhcCs had been received against his order, though, 
when they were in the ship, he did not like to send 



THE ADMIRAL. 



them out again." My men, I found, had been distri- 
buted on board the small ships, and all my subsequent 
endeavours to get them back were alike unsuccessful, 
till, when in Vigo Bay, refitting, he gave me permis- 
sion to take twelve of them. I wished particularly to 
have my coxswain, George Reiley, and gig's crew. I 
got eight of them from the Villa Flor, and then 
went to the Mindella, in which the coxswain and the 
others were. The commander, Lieutenant Ruxton, 
informed me that the men had declared to him, that 
they would leave the service rather than join me. This 
surprised me not a little, as many had, when they had 
occasion to come to the Donna Maria, endeavoured 
to hide themselves, that they might remain in her. I 
turned to Reiley, who was standing by, and inquired, 
" Can this be true? r) He answered, " Yes, Sir, I do 
not wish to go back." — " What are your reasons?" I 
asked; " though I certainly will not have any body but 
a volunteer ?" — " The Admiral has told me, Sir, you 
would not take me hack? — " He never could have 
said so," I replied ; " for he has almost quarrelled with 
me for continually entreating him to let you return to 
g 5 



130 



FEELINGS OF THE ADMIRAL. 



me." 1 — " The Admiral told me, Sir, when I asked him 
to let me go back, that you gave me a bad character ; 
and also remarked, e You see Captain Mins will not 
have you ; for the other day, when you went out in 
a steamer, with many men of both frigates, the Rainha 
took her's, but Captain Mins would not take his.' " — 
" Good God ! " I exclaimed, " is it possible he can 
have attempted to injure me in this manner, when I 
had his own order not to take you back, and all my 
entreaties have failed in persuading him to recal it?" 

At this moment, while I was in a state of high ex- 
citement at the discovery, the Admiral came near in 
his boat: I jumped on the gunwale of the brig, and 
said, " Admiral Sertorius, one of the most singular 
things in the world has occurred ; my coxswain, whom 
you know I have been doing all in my power to get 
back, states to me, that you have told him I would not 
take him again." How the Admiral felt I cannot say, but 
he looked as white as the paper on which I am writing, 
stammered a denial, and, telling the men they might 
go with me, seemed right glad to row off. The men 
were now anxious to rejoin me, and I took all I had 



CAPTAIN BOID. 



131 



leave to take ; and subsequently found that he had 
spoken of me in the same manner to the others as he 
had to the coxswain. I shall leave these facts without 
comment ; and, having interrupted the course of the 
narrative, in order to bring them under one view, 
resume it at Oporto. 

At Oporto, I went to pay my respects to the Em- 
peror, but left him as soon as I could, that I might not 
be questioned about the action ; having learnt from 
others, to whom I spoke my mind very freely, that a 
Portuguese gentleman, who was on board the Rainha, 
had informed his Majesty of many of its details, and 
that his representations of my conduct, confirmed by 
" the dispatch, had made such a favourable impression 
on his Majesty, that he intended to promote me to the 
rank of a graduado Rear- Admiral* : but when the list of 
promotions appeared, instead of my own, the first 
name on it was Captain Boid, the Chef d'Etat-Major, 

* I subsequently learnt, when the Marquis Palmella and Senhor 
Mozinho breakfasted with me in Vigo Bay, among other astonishing 
things, that Sertorius's interference had prevented my intended pro- 
motion. 



132 



PROMOTION OF 



the private secretary and confidential adviser of the 
Admiral, who was indebted for the high encomiums 
bestowed on him in the dispatch solely to the circum- 
stance of having himself written it. The rank now con- 
ferred on him was that of Capitao" da Frigata effectivo. 
To say nothing of the absurdity of giving " effective 
rank" to one who held a civil appointment, did his " pe- 
culiar duties" entitle him to promotion at all ? His ser- 
vices during the action certainly did not ; and I cannot 
conceive how he displayed 44 zeal, intelligence, and 
activity," who never, during the engagement, moved 
from the spot on which he first stood; — who said nothing, 
and did nothing, for he had nothing to do ; who, I had 
occasion to see, did not know one rope from another ; 
and whom, I verily believe, hardly knew the main 
brace from the captain's epaulettes. This, perhaps, 
was his misfortune, rather than his fault* ; yet he was 
made captain of frigate effectivo ; but his vanity ever 
stood in his way, and made him generally disliked. 

* He was taken a prisoner when quite young, and remained as such 
all the war, and never served for one hour afterwards. 



CAPTAIN GEORGE. 



133 



Captain George, honourable mention of whom had been 
shamefully omitted, having written a long letter to the 
Admiral, obtained the promotion he so well deserved. 
Other officers too were promoted, though I think, if 
strict justice had been done, we should all have been 
shot for not taking the enemy s squadron in spite of 
the Admiral, after we had well thrashed it, and had it 
in our power to do so. What bloodshed might have 
been spared ! and I, if the Admiral had then done his 
duty, should have had the satisfaction, all personal in- 
sults forgiven and forgotten, of knowing that my name 
would be recorded, next to his, on that bright page of 
naval history, which Napier's now adorns. 

In the mean time, the Admiral, who had been made 
a major-general at Terceira, and hitherto had not dis- 
covered that that title imposed any duties on him, 
began to fancy that the situation ought not to be a 
sinecure; he therefore opened an office of major-ge- 
neral ; and the English, all of whom had stipulated that 
they were to be considered as under English laws, 
customs, and regulations, were not a little puzzled to 
find they were subject to two Admiralties: and what 



134 



THE ADMIRAL, 



was as extraordinary as dangerous, the naval com- 
mander at the head of one of them. His first act, in 
his new capacity, was to quarrel with that excellent 
man, Mozinho d'Alberquerque, the Minister of Marine, 
who resigned in consequence. To this gentleman, on 
his appointment, the Admiral had formerly addressed 
a letter of congratulation, declaring his conviction 
that the affairs of the naval department would now be 
well conducted, since there was at the head of it a man 
of his known judgment, and profound abilities, with 
more of such fulsome flattery. About this time a 
kind of demi-official letter* was addressed to me by 
" Capitao' da Fragata effective Boid," requesting me, 
in the Admiral's name, to insinuate to the officers of 
the gun-room, that the allowance of table-money was 
made, to enable them to support the respectability of the 
service, and that it was his most particular orders that 
it should be expended for that purpose alone. I had 
dined with them every Sunday, and can testify that 
they kept a very good mess; but for the last few 
months, as, instead of money, they could only get bills, 

* Appendix, No. XXXVIII. 



A MAJOR-GENERAL, 



135 



which they were obliged to send to England, they 
had not been able to provide themselves with all they 
required ; and this letter could have been written only 
to make me the medium of insulting them. I, how- 
ever, insinuated the contents of it to them, by giving 
it to them to read. I do not believe my officers had 
saved any of this allowance ; and I presume the Ad- 
miral chose the present moment for this ill-judged and 
petty insinuation^ from finding, about this time, his 
purse rather heavy with savings out of his own table- 
money, SI. 3s. a day. He had just left my ship for the 
second time, having hoisted his flag on board her twice ; 
the first time for a month, the second for ten days ; 
he and his secretary having done me the honour to 
partake, during the whole time, on both occasions, 
of my hospitality— -opportunities these for laying by 
some few odd guineas. However, in justice to his libe- 
rality, I must say, that each time he left the ship, he 
expressed himself desirous of giving my steward a pre- 
sent of a pound, and requested me to do it for him: 
yet he so contrived matters, that Ins bounty did not di- 
minish his savings ; and at the present moment I still hold 



136 



VIGO. 



the steward's receipt* for these donations, which the 
Admiral has never repaid me. 

Finding I could not procure any stores, or any men, 
I set off for my ship, intending to put her in the best 
order I could, previous to resigning her. When I 
got to the mouth of the Douro, I found the wind 
blowing half a gale, and the ships already under 
weigh : however, I got an English man-of-war, which 
was going out, to tow my gig, and give me a passage. 
She put me on board Captain Bertrand's ship, and 
from his, I got to my own. The ships were under 
close-reefed topsail ; but seeing the weather was not 
likely to get better, and finding mine, as she heeled in 
the water, very leaky, I made all sail to Vigo; and on 
Friday, the 9th, anchored about two miles above the 
town. For fear of being sent out, I commenced un- 
rigging at once, and in three hours the main-top was on 
the deck. The health boat came, to put us in quaran- 
tine. I asked whether, if I saluted, it would be re- 
turned ; and as I was informed they had neither guns 



* Appendix, No. XXXIX. 



MARaUESS PAL MEL LA. 



137 



or powder, or else they would do so, I hoisted the 
Spanish flag at the main, and fired twenty-one guns; 
as I wished to make friends if possible, I thought it 
advisable not to withhold this compliment. During 
my stay, I had occasion to correspond much with the 
Governor, and the Spanish authorities : I obtained all 
I wished, and ultimately got pratique ; and on the 
whole, we were on such friendly terms with the 
Spaniards, that I succeeded in procuring the release 
of a Portuguese subject from a long imprisonment, 
and sent him to Oporto. Stress of weather had obliged 
the Rainha to put in here, also the Portuense, and 
the new frigate, Dom Pedro. The last had come 
direct from France. On the Governor writing, to re- 
quest I would send her to sea, I immediately did so. 
The Rainha sailed soon after her. On the 22nd, the 
London Merchant (steamer) arrived from Oporto, on 
her way to England, with the Marquis Palmella, 
Senhor Mozinho, the late Minister of Marine, and 
several other persons of distinction. They did me the 
honour of breakfasting with me ; and I now learned 
many things relative to the Admiral's intrigues 



138 MARQUESS PALMELLA. 

against me ; amongst others, his interference to prevent 
my promotion. The steamer departed the next day. 
The Marquis had supplied me with 275 crusadoes, to 
purchase bullocks; and I dispatched the Boa Esperan- 
za*j one of our small schooners, with some to Oporto. 
This was the first cargo which was landed there, and 
they were much wanted. The main-mast, which had 
been shot through in three places, was strongly fished, 
the ship well painted, and all in perfect order, by 
the beginning of December. Every thing in the hold 
had been moved, for the triple purpose of getting the 
shot holes out of water, for the carpenters — of stow- 
ing the old guns properly — and of searching for the 
money which had been stolen from the prize, as some 
of it might have been secreted in, and among these 
guns, and I placed a midshipman there to watch. As 
I intended sailing in a day or two, the man who had 
supplied the ship with bullocks wanted to be paid, and 
I had no money, except some the men had given me to 
keep for them, and that which they had placed in my 

* Appendix, Nos. XL., XLL, and XLIL 



DOM MIGUEL^S SISTER. 



139 



hands, when they wished to send some home, and get 
the bills on England. This I never liked to touch, 
as I wished to be ready to answer their demands at all 
times, and I always was prepared to do so, though the 
Admiral had circulated some abominable slanders 
against me, with respect to pecuniary transactions ; 
but I shall, in the proper place, show the falsehood of 
them, and therefore will not dwell on them here. 

On the 6th, in consequence of some change in the 
Spanish. Cabinet, we got pratique, and I immediately 
went on shore, to pay my respects to the Governor, 
and other authorities, who received me most kindly. 

"W hile at Vigo, I learnt from a Spanish gentleman, 
who had come from Braga, where Dom Miguel and 
his sisters were, that the eldest princess wished to 
escape, and join her brother at Oporto. I arranged a 
plan to assist her in this object, the execution of which 
the Spanish gentleman gladly undertook. He was the 
bearer to her of a letter from me*, tendering my 
frigate for her reception, and offering to convey her 

* Appendix, No. XLIII. 



140 



DIVISION OF 



to any place of safety she chose ; but the arrival of 
the Admiral took this, and every thing else, out of 
my hands, and I do not believe he took any trouble 
about it. 

The Rainha now came in, and the Admiral 
hoisted his flag on board her. Though she had not 
pratique, we went on board her, as if she had ; and on 
the 9th, the Governor gave a grand ball ; we received 
a pressing invitation, which of course we accepted. 

I now, at the Admiral's request, went on board his 
ship, to assist in counting the money taken out of the 
prize captured by Captain Morgell, which we found 
to amount to 

22,063 in Spanish dollars. 
500 in gold dust. 
200 in gold goin. 
1,000 in Colonial coin. 

23,783 Total. 

The Admiral said he would send some on board the 
Donna Maria* that the men might see he intended 
to share it out; but that, in the absence of the 



PRIZE MONEY. 



141 



Commissary-General, who had been appointed prize- 
agent, it could not be paid. I told him I was sorry 
to hear that, because my officers had no money to buy 
stock, and could not get their bills cashed ; and that, 
as the captains' shares could be easily calculated, if he 
would let me have mine, I could supply their present 
necessities. He said, " Very well ; and mine can as 
easily be reckoned, so I will take it.'" He then made 
the following calculation : — 

Total amount . . . 23,763 

An eighth, the Admiral's share . . 2,970 — 3 

Two-eighths for the Captains . . . 5,940 

One-third, there being three Captains 1,980 

There, he said, when I send the money on board, 
you may take that, as it is your share. 

I must, for a short time, postpone noticing a most 
extraordinary court-martial, held on Captain Rose, 
for the purpose of stating what subsequently occurred 
with respect to this prize money. When the prize-agent 
came on board, about the 18th, he asked me, " Do 



142 



DIVISION OF 



you know how many there are in your class ?" I said 
" Certainly; there are three." He replied, " There are 
four ; the Admiral has ordered me to put Lieutenant- 
Colonel Williams, of the Marines, in it." I answered, 
" You are prize-agent, and are to be guided by the 
British regulations ; I do not care for all the orders 
in the world ; if you do not pay me my share, I shall 
hold you responsible for it." Crosbie had intimated 
to me, by letter*, that it was his opinion " that we 
ought to put a negative to this mandate of the Chief." 
The agent said, " I know you are right, but I must 
obey the Admiral, and take the consequence and I 
then told him, that, by the Admiral's permission, and 
according to his own calculation, I had taken my 
share, and I would not give it up : make your calcu- 
lation, I added, and if I have more than one-third of 
two-eighths, I will refund the difference ; but that I 
have, and that I will keep." The next day the Ad- 
miral sent for me, and addressed me, saying, " So, 
Sir, I understand you disapprove of Colonel Wil- 



* Appendix, No. XL IV. 



PRIZE MONEY. 



liams sharing as a captain." — " I said, I most certainly 
do." He then argued about the naval regulations; 
but I told him, " With due deference to you, Sir, I 
flatter myself I am also acquainted with the British 
regulations; and I know that, according to them, 
Colonel Williams cannot share, nor would I allow the 
Count Villa Flor, or any other person, to have any 
part of mine: however, Sir, this is a private affair, 
between me and the agent, and if I am not satisfied 
with him, it is with him I shall have to find fault." 
To this he replied, with all the consequence of a 
man who fancies his power authorises him to perpe- 
trate any act of injustice, " All I can say, Sir, is, if 
you do not return the money, I shall not sign any 
more of your bills for pay." — " Very well, Sir," was all 
the answer I thought this deserved. 

In the mean time, four or five more of our men-of- 
war arrived, and the Villa Flor, with Captain Rose 
as a prisoner. On the 14th, I received the following 
most extraordinary order : — 



144 



COURT MARTIAL ON 



Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship, Rainha da Portugal, 
Vigo Bay, December 14, 1832. 

You will assemble a Court-Martial to be held to-morrow 
morning, at eleven o'clock, on board the Donna Maria, for the trial 
of Commander Percy Rose, on account of the charges herein con- 
tained, and brought against that officer by me. For which purpose 
you will summons the undermentioned Captains and Commanders, 
to compose the same. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS, 
Vice Admiral and Major-General of Her Most 
Faithful Majesty's Navy. 

Captain Mins, — President. 
Captain Crosbie, 
Captain Bertrand, 
Commander Blackiston, 
Commander Shute. 

To Captain P. Mins, 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship 
Donna Maria. 

I pointed out to the Admiral all its irregularities, 
according to the English naval instructions, which, as 
they will be obvious to all naval readers, and unin- 
teresting to others, I shall not here enumerate ; but 
the British public will be probably astonished to find 
a prosecutor nominating his own jury. I issued the 



CAPTAIN ROSE. 



145 



other necessary orders *, and enclosed a copy of the 
Admiral's, with the charges, to the prisoner ; and as 
he wrote to me, stating he had not sufficient accom- 
modation or privacy on board the Villa Florf, I 
replied by the follow letter : — ■ 

My Dear Sir, 

I shall feel happy to do all in my power, to facilitate 
any officer in his endeavour to vindicate himself against any charge 
that may he brought against him ; and, with those feelings, I have to 
offer you the use of my cabin, on board the Donna Maria, where you 
must consider yourself a prisoner. 

Friday. I remain, My dear Sir. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Your's, &c. 

Ship Donna Maria II. P. MIXS. 

To Captain Rose, 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Villa Flor. 

As a brother officer, I thought it my duty to do so, 
though I knew it placed me in a critical situation 
with our jealous chief ; but as it was but an act of 
justice to a brother officer, who had to answer such 

* Appendix, Nos. XLV., XL VI., and XL VI I. 
t Appendix, No. XLVIIL 



146 



COURT MARTIAL ON 



serious charges, and I had a clear conscience, I cared 
not for that : however, that I might give as little 
occasion as possible for offence, I breakfasted and 
dined on board other ships of the squadron. 

On the 15th of December, the court-martial as- 
sembled, to try Captain Rose, who, as he held a civil 
situation, did not come under martial law, on the 
following charges, worded more like opinions, without 
a date, stating no fact, and replete with so many 
other irregularities, that a court-martial, in the 
British navy, would not have allowed them to be 
received at all ; and perhaps an error in judgment 
might be imputed to us, for passing over, in deference 
to the Admiral, these irregularities, and proceeding 
to examine the merits of the charges, and to com- 
pare them with the evidence adduced in support of 
them. 

CHARGES. 

" First,— That at a time when the difficulties of our 
peculiar situation, both with regard to the enemy 
and the state of fearful revolt and mutiny of the 



CAPTAIN ROSE. 



147 



marine regiment on shore, as well as amongst 
the sailors embarked, were so alarming, and ren- 
dered it so peculiarly the duty of a zealous officer 
most scrupulously to avoid impeding the public 
service by setting a bad example, Captain Rose 
did refuse to take command of a ship to which 
he was appointed, and sent in his resignation in 
a manner disrespectful and un-officer like, consi- 
dering the ship was under orders to force a 
passage out of the Douro, against the enemy's 
batteries. 

" Second. — That the conduct of Captain Rose has been 
wanting in that zeal which it was his duty to 
have displayed on various occasions, when op- 
portunities were given him of so doing; and 
particularly so on the following, namely : — when 
the squadron under my command was off Oporto, 
about the 15th of August, in company with that 
of the enemy, which possessed an overwhelming 
superiority, the then prevailing calm rendered it 
probable that an action could be brought on 
with every prospect of success by means of steam 



148 



COURT MARTIAL ON 



boats ; and for which purpose a steam-boat and 
a corvette were hurried out to join me — Captain 
Rose, under such circumstances, permitted the 
corvette to sail under the command of a compa- 
ratively inexperienced young lieutenant, who 
had never been in a military marine, instead of 
manifesting that enthusiasm which such an ap- 
parent opportunity of distinguishing himself in 
the career of his profession presented, particularly 
at a moment when neither his services could have 
been of so important a nature as to render pre- 
judicial an absence of forty-eight hours, or the 
desire of competent authority (if ever so expressed) 
could have been of sufficient force to hold out 
against what duty, and a just regard for his 
own character, so clearly indicated in following 
the road so plainly pointed out by honour and 
danger. 

" Third. — That the different vessels fitted out under 
the inspection of Captain Rose, were sent out in 
a state highly defective and dangerous, betraying 
equally a want of activity and professional know- 



CAPTAIN ROSE. 



149 



ledge ; the more so, as the wants of those vessels 
(although of a nature of the highest importance) 
could have been easily supplied at Oporto ; and 
that when spoken to on the subject, by the re- 
spective officers, his conduct towards them was 
insulting and unsatisfactory, whilst a great loss 
of time and frequent delays have occurred, by 
absenting himself when officers have sought his 
aid. 

" Fourth. — His want of respect towards me, his Com- 
mander-in-Chief, upon various occasions; parti- 
cularly at a dinner given by me to the Duke of 
Terceira and several other officers and gentlemen, 
when his observations and conduct towards me 
were of a nature most insulting and un-officer 
like ; and also upon another occasion, when Colo- 
nel Hodges had called upon me, after his (the 
Colonel's) resignation; as also the accompanying 
letters, addressed to me. 1 ' 

The Admiral, who was prosecutor, might have 
imposed on the court, by his reiterated professions of 



150 



COURT MARTIAL ON 



friendship for the prisoner, and disavowals of all 
vindictive feeling against him, if these professions 
had not been belied by the violence of his anger, and 
the indecency of his exclamations during the defence. 
I, as president, was placed in a peculiarly embarras- 
sing situation, having on my left hand the Admiral, 
whom I could only recognise as prosecutor, but who 
seemed to think that, as Commander-in-Chief, he had 
a right to overawe the court. I permitted several 
interruptions to pass unnoticed, till called upon by the 
prisoner to do him justice, when of course I interfered, 
and at last was obliged to say — " Mr. Prosecutor, the 
prosecution passed without interruption, and the de- 
fence shall too this succeeded in restoring partial 
order. Captain Rose was honourably acquitted ; and I 
hoped, by some observations I made after the finding 
of the court-martial was pronounced, to have smoothed 
down all parties : but the Admiral evidently wished 
Rose to have been broke, and had hoped to carry his 
point, by selecting from his own ship three out of the 
five officers, whom he nominated to try him, and imposed 
no restraint on himself, to conceal his mortification 



CAPTAIN ROSE. 



151 



at his acquittal. As soon as the court-martial was 
over, he went into my after cabin, and paced it to and 
fro, in a state of the most passionate agitation. I begged 
Captain Crosbie to go and speak to him, to whom he 
observed, that the sentence was a severe reprimand 
on himself, and that he must never again attempt 
to bring one of his officers to a court-martial. On 
me, as president, he threw all the blame ; and I was 
honoured with all his persecution, though all naval men 
well know, that when a court is composed of five officers, 
the opinion of the president signifies little, unless the 
other four are equally divided ; he never can influence 
their s, as the junior always delivers his first : and as 
all are bound by oath to secrecy, the Admiral could 
not know what mine was, or whether we differed at all. 

When I reported to the Admiral that his boat was 
manned, he told me he should hoist his flag in my 
ship, and desired me to get ready to take in bullocks 
and pigs, — sad news this, for my fresh green-painted 
main deck. 

The day after, I received an order, desiring me to 
answer a query, to which I, conceiving it designed to 



152 



CAPTAIN BEllTEANCj 



obtain from me the opinion I had given on the trial? 
replied — 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria IL 
Vigo, 'list December, 1832. 

Sir, 

In obedience to your written order, of this day's date, 
viz. that I do immediately " forward you, in writing, my official answer 
to the following questions, viz. — Do you think that an officer is justified, 
by any circumstances, during a time of active war, in refusing the com- 
mand of a ship ? — whether such is, or not, an infraction of military 
discipline ? and that infraction very much aggravated if the ship be at 
the moment under sailing orders, on a most important service ?" 

I have most respectfully to state, that, on comparing it with one of 
the charges lately laid before a court-martial, at which I was the 
president, and finding them to be so nearly alike, I am bound, by the 
sacred oath I took there, not to divulge the particular opinion of any 
member ; and not being able to give my opinion on the question, with- 
out divulging what my opinion was then, I feel myself bound, by oath, 
to be silent. 

And I have the honour to be, 

Your Excellency's 
Most obedient humble Servant, 

P. MINS, Captain. 

To His Excellency Vice- Admiral Sertorius, 

Commander-in-Chief, Major-General, &c. &c. 

Captain Bertrand, however, to whom the query was 
also addressed, not considering it, as I had, to be con- 
nected with the charges on which the court-martial 
had decided, replied ; and he has obliged me with a 
copy of his answer, which I subjoin. 



AXD THE ADMIRAL. 



153 



Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Portuense, 
Vigo. 

Sin, 

With all due respect to your Excellency, after thirty years' 
experience in the British navy, I do consider that many circumstances 
may induce an officer to refuse the command of a ship, although in 
the active time of war. 

How far it is an infraction of military discipline, I trust your 
Excellency will pardon my answering, as it must be left to superior 
powers to decide. 

I have the honour to be, 
&c. 

(Signed) H. P. BERTRAND. 

This was followed by a reprimand, in these words — 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Rainha da Portugal, 
Vigo Bay, December 21st, 1S32. 

Mem. 

The sentence of the court-martial having adjudged that 
the third charge of the Commander-in-Chief, against Captain Rose, 
was in consequence of false reports having been made to him on the 
conduct of that officer, the Vice- Admiral requests that, in future, 
the members composing that court will be more correct in their state- 
ments of the proceedings of officers, as it was chiefly on the reports 
made to him by the majority of the members that he founded his third 
charge against Captain Rose. 

By order of the Vice-Admiral, 
E. BOID, 
Captain, and Chef del'Etat Major. 

To Captain P. Mins, 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria. 

H 5 



154 CAPTAIN BERTKAND, 

To this reprimand, I must here subjoin an extract 
from a letter from Captain Rose to me, dated London, 
August 19th, 1833. " With respect to>he other part 
of your letter, relative to Admiral Sertorius's repri- 
mand to the court, I have only to say, it is of a piece 
with the charges he preferred against me, for Captain 
Bertrand was the only member of the court I ever 
came in contact with on duty. But why were the 
reports mentioned by the Admiral not laid before the 
court ? for it cannot be supposed that an officer of his 
experience, and holding the high station he did, 
would have preferred charges before a court-martial 
on mere verbal report 

But the court-martial so haunted the Admiral the 
whole night, that Captain Bertrand's signals and mine, 
were made at day-light. On going on board his ship, 
Captain Blackiston informed us, that he was at his 
prayers; after walking the deck for half an hour, 
Captain Blackiston again went down, the Admiral 
was still on his knees. I trust his prayers were then 
effectual, to obtain pardon for the past ; and that at 
some future period he may be absolved from the 
guilt of that which followed. 



% 

AX1) THE ADMIRAL. 155 

At last we were summoned, and he spoke to me in 
such an imperious tone, and in such a maimer, of the 
court-martial, that I could not forbear saving, " Ad- 
miral Sertorius, do you, Sir, think you can get me to 
break my oath, or can you even wish me to do so, 
the moment after you have risen off your knees, and 
have been praying to your Maker ?" He then turned 
to Captain Bertrand, and said, " And you, Sir, you 
dared to think of going to England in your ship, and 
put vour helm up for that purpose ; — had I, Sir, done 
as Dom Pedro wished, I should have removed you 
from your ship." Captain Bertrand indignantly re- 
plied, " that he had never done so, nor had such a 
dishonourable intention ever suggested itself to Ms 
mind." We were obliged to listen to many more 
equally offensive observations, before we returned to 
my ship. At breakfast, Bertrand said to me, " Mins, 
the Admiral must be mad : it is impossible he could 
behave in this outrageous manner, if he were not mad ; 
you, really, as senior Captain, ought to put him under 
arrest." 1 I replied, " I perfectly agree with you, Ber- 
trand, in thinking he is mad; but will you and 



156 THE SAILORS, 

Crosbie write to me on service on this subject, I may 
then be inclined to take some steps.*" He answered, 
"Oh ! no, I should not like to do that." — " Then I only 
hope, 11 I said, " He will bite you ; depend upon it I 
shall not stop him ; — for myself, I do not mean to sail 
from this place in this ship, nor under him. 11 

On the 20th of December, I took in sixty-five 
bullocks, and twenty -one pigs ; — -the ship was full on 
the main deck, and on the gangway ; we got under 
weigh, and anchored off the town. I received orders 
to go to sea, but on turning the hands up, "Up 
anchor, 11 the lower deck ladders were immediately 
unshipped, and my first lieutenant informed me, that 
the men declared the ship should not go to sea, till 
they were paid. The Admiral, whom I informed of 
what occurred, sent word, he could do nothing while 
the weather was so bad, but he would come on board 
as soon as it was finer, and in the mean time I might 
let as many of the men as chose, run away. He came 
on Saturday, and on speaking to the men, found that 
the proceedings on Captain Hose's court-martial had 
destroyed their confidence, and made them think that 



AND THE ADMIRAL. 



there was no money at Oporto to pay them — -while 
the promises made to them had been so often broken, 
that they did not like to go on tick any longer ; — be- 
sides, they had heard that Captain Mins was going to 
leave the ship, and he, they said, has treated us very 
well ; and if Lieutenants Robinson and Ludlow were 
going too, as they had heard, " We shall have no- 
body to look up to for our rights. 1 " — " If tins is the 
case," said the Admiral, " I will remove Captain Mins 
at once, though I never before had the least intention 
of doing it.'" They all exclaimed, " Oh ! then it is all 
up/" The Admiral became enraged, and called out, 
" I must know who is to be Commander-in-Chief ; — all 
those who are for my being Commander-in-Chief, go 
over to the other side of the deck ; those who are for 

Captain and he stopped short ; — not one man 

moved. He ordered, " Pipe down and after two or 
three turns on the deck, said, " Send the men aft, — 
I must know if I am to be Commander-in-Chief." He 
repeated the question to them, as before; and, as 
before, not one man moved. 

I had not, during all this time, opened my mouth — 



158 



DISSATISFACTION OF 



but I now said, " You do not understand the Ad- 
miral; — you wish him to remain in command 
" Yes, Sir ; yes, Sir from many mouths. " Then 
go over to the other side of the deck \ n they all did so. 
The Admiral ordered them to be piped down, and 
they went, though much dissatisfied *. 

In answer to his inquiries, as he was going away, 
I told him I would again make the trial, but I did not 
think they would get the anchor up. They refused, 
as I expected ; and I again sent to inform him of it. 

On Sunday he returned to my ship — lost all com- 
mand over himself — told them, if he had a million of 
money, he would not give them a single penny — and 
ordered me to let all those who chose to leave, have 
boats immediately. When he had departed, I begged 
the men to reconsider their determination, but could 
not prevail on them to alter it. I therefore told them 

* After I reached Oporto, I learnt that the Emperor had expressed 
himself much dissatisfied with the Admiral ; and to get him hand' 
somely out of the way, asked him to remain at Oporto, and perform 
the duties of Major-General, and give up the squadron to me. This 
must have been in his head, when he addressed the men in this 
manner* 



THE SAILORS. 



159 



to stay for their dinner, while I went to see the Ad- 
miral. I found him obstinate ; and seeing I could do 
nothing with him, I told him I deeply regretted the 
state of affairs, but I had for some time made up my 
mind to resign the ship, and wished his permission to 
do so ; but now, as the ship was unmanned, I felt, in 
honour, bound to stay by him, until the Portuguese 
for whom, with his sanction, I was to send, arrived. 
He replied, " Very well and subsequently said to 
one of the lieutenants, " Hutchinson" (my first cou- 
sin), " as soon as Captain Mins goes, I shall take you 
into my ship and he mentioned my resignation to 
many other persons. About one hundred and sixty 
men left the Admiral's ship, and sixty left mine. To 
me it was, indeed, heart-rending, to see these poor 
fellows, who had served so long, and fought so well, 
many of them wounded, their pay in arrear for six or 
eight months, going over the ship's side, and leaving 
all behind, while I had received bills of all the pay due 
to me: and so had the Commander-in-Chief, who, 
when affairs did not look very promising at Oporto, 
had taken such care to secure his own pay, that on 



160 



DEPARTURE FOR 



one occasion he made the Commissary-General give 
him a bill for it, two months beforehand. Will he 
ever reflect on these things ? And what will be his 
feelings if he does? 

My poor fellows came to me, with tears in their 
eyes, to wish me good bye; they hoped, they said, 
the Miguelite fleet would not meet us, for they would 
be sorry to fight against their old captain ; but they 
had been treated so badly by the Admiral, on this 
side, that they were determined to go over to the other. 
The day they first refused to get the anchor up, I had 
them on deck, and said, " My men will no longer obey 
your orders, but the Queen's property is under my 
charge ; the sails are very wet, will you let them be 
ruined, or will you loose them for me " Yes, Sir," 
from every mouth, " we will do any thing for you." 
The rigging was manned, and the sails loosened as 
usual ; and now, as they were about to leave the ship, 
they asked the first lieutenant, Robinson, who was 
most justly beloved by them all, as a gentleman, an 
excellent officer, and a first-rate sailor, if he would 
allow them to furl the sails before they went, and they 



THE BAYONNA ISLANDS. 



161 



were furled as well, if not better, and quicker, than 
ever ; yet I am sure, all who ever saw the Donna 
Maria, while under my command, will give her crew 
some credit for their evolutions. 

The Rainha, not having sufficient hands to make 
sail, was towed by the steamer to the Bayonna Islands ; 
and the next day I followed her thither under sail. 
I obtained the Admiral's permission to send Mr. Cen- 
terine, a Portuguese officer, to Oporto, for the Portu- 
guese seamen, and dispatched him, in the City of 
Edinburgh steamer, for them ; and I agreed for my 
passage to England in her. Centerine was the bearer 
of a letter from me to Senhor Serpa, requesting him to 
do all which was necessary, respecting the money taken 
by the men from the Commercio Maritimo* ; and 
another to the Emperor, acquainting him that the 
Admiral had accepted my resignation, which I had 
tendered, explaining my reasons for taking that step, 
and informing him of my intention of going to England, 
from whence I should, without loss of time, return to 
Oporto. The steamer took the bullocks and pigs out of 

* Appendix, No. XL IX. 



162 



CHRISTMAS DAY. 



my ship. I suppose the Admiral had derived as much 
pleasure from having them on board her, as they were 
capable of affording him: they had most effectually 
disfigured my deck : but that he might not be able to 
say I left her out of order, I repainted it. 

I was not, however, to leave the Boyanna Islands 
without being indebted to the Admiral for a few more 
compliments, some of them direct from himself, others 
conveyed to me through his subordinate tools. He, 
on one occasion, turned up the hands in the Rainha, 
and addressed them thus — " I am sorry to see so few 
of my men left. I care nothing about those of the 
Donna Maria ; that ship has never been of any use to 
me, and I am sure she never will ; I therefore should 
have been glad if they had all left her/ 1 The squadron, 
and the Portuguese nation, thank God, know the 
falsehood of this assertion. 

I could not let Christmas-day pass, without having 
all those officers, who had been with me so long, to 
dinner ; though the party was rather clouded, by the 
knowledge that we were so soon to be separated. Al- 
lusion was made to the circumstance, on drinking my 
health, and I then told them that my resignation was 



ME. HAETWELL. 163 

accepted, and that on the arrival of the men, for whom 
I had sent, I should be superseded, and proceed to 
England. The Dom Pedro arrived in the evening of 
the dav, and on the 27th a Mr. Hartwell came from 
her on board the Donna Maria, bearing a verbal 
message of his appointment as lieutenant. I could 
not endure this trifling with the service ; and therefore 
sent him away, telling him to inform the Admiral I 
would not receive him on board without a written 
order. He returned, with the following novelty in the 
shape of one : — 

December 29, 1S32. 
By order of His Excellency the Vice-Admiral, you are requested 
to receive on board you, Mr. Edward Hartwell, as mate ; but to do 
the duty of lieutenant until farther orders. 

By Order of the Vice- Admiral, 
E. BOID, 
Captain Chef de l'Etat- Major. 

To Captain Mixs, 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria. 

On giving him this document, the Secretary took 
him aside, and said, " If you find any difficulty, or 
any strange treatment from Captain Mins, let me know 
of it privately T yet this man had the assurance to write 
to me expressive of \usconsdentious friendship for me! 



164 



LIEUTENANT LUDLOW. 



We had been ordered, two days before, to shave off 
our beards and mustachios*, the wearing of which the 
Admiral had sanctioned, in deference to the Emperor's 
wishes ; but the order to shave was now worded as if 
this had been an innovation of our own ; it was signed 
too only by " Blackiston," the second captain of the 
flag-ship ; and it is unusual for an officer in that situa- 
tion to sign any order ; but we began to be accustomed 
to irregularities. 

On the SOth, Lieutenant Ludlow thought it right to 
acquaint me that, having been on board the Dom 
Pedro 3 and asked the first lieutenant to allow a 
youngster to return with him to dinner, the second 
captain, Captain Massey, had said, " Do not let him 
go, the discipline of that ship is so bad, he will get 
knocked at head on the deck." I asked Ludlow, know- 
ing the habits of the man, if he was drunk at the 
time? "No ; he thought he was not." " That is strange," 
observed Mr. Hartwell, " for it is a rare thing to see 
him otherwise and he then told me that, while he 



* Apendix, No. LV. 



CAPTAIN MASSEY. 



165 



was on board the Dom Pedro, he had heard reports of 
the discipline of the Donna Maria highly injurious to 
my character; and that, if he had never come on 
board her, and so ascertained their falsehood, he must 
have believed them, as they were supposed to originate 
from the authority of the Admiral himself. 

I wrote to Captain Massey *, requesting him to give 
me the name of the slanderer, from whom he had heard 
these reports of the bad discipline of the Donna Maria"' 
and inviting him to come on board, to satisfy himself 
on the subject. I sent Hutchinson with it, and desired 
him to wait for an answer. On his return, he reported 
to me, that, though he had seen Captain Massey read 
the letter, he told him to say, he would not answer it' 
as he had not read it, and that he must see the Admiral 
first ! ! ! 

He did see the Admiral; and, as I have subse" 
quently learnt, they then planned one of the basest 
conspiracies, to injure and insult me, that ever was 
invented by " the perverted ingenuity of man." 



* Appendix, No. LI. 



166 CAPTAIN MASSEY, 

" Were you not," asked the Admiral, " formerly in a 
ship with Mins, when he was a midshipman, which he 
was obliged to leave in consequence of something 
relating to a duel between him and another midship- 
man ?" He replied in the affirmative. " Then," said 
the Admiral, 66 I will appoint you as second captain of 
the Donna Maria ; you must write to me that you 
will not serve under him, stating that circumstance as 
your reason, and I will then remove Captain Mins 
from the ship, and give her to you. 1 ' This plan, to 
give the appearance of removing me for the good of 
the service, was formed after I had resigned — after he 
had accepted my resignation — and while I was waiting 
only because I did not think it honourable to leave 
him almost without men, till the Portuguese arrived, 
to supply the place of the British tars he had driven 
away. It will be asked, how I could know that this 
passed between him and Captain Massey. I regret 
that I must not give the name of him from whom I 
learnt it; but let it be remembered, that Captain 
Massey was almost always drunk, and when the "grog 
is in, the wit is out.'" 



AND THE ADMIRAL. 



167 



On the 1st of January, he came on board, and 
turned all hands up, and after addressing a parcel of 
stuff to the men, said to me, " I wish to speak to you 
in your cabin." where, in answer to his observation. 
u You will consider yourself no longer captain of the 
ship;"" I replied, " That is just what I wish, Sir : I 
have been expecting every day since I resigned to be 
permitted to depart." The Admiral then said, " You 
left a ship when a midshipman, on account of a duel." 
" I certainly did/ 1 I answered, a but that I conceived 
it was nothing to him, and I wished to know whether 
he. bv speaking to me of private affairs, was putting 
aside the Admiral, and whether I might consider 
mvself as speaking to plain Mr. Sertorius/' He said 
I might ; and I then told him such home truths, and 
in such home language, that, exclaiming, " I cannot 
stand this," he rushed upon deck. On the deck I 
immediately touched my hat to him as Commander- 
in-Chief. He now turned the hands up again, Cap- 
tains Goblet and Massey being now on board, and 
told the men, " I am obliged to remove Captain Mins 
for some breach of military discipline, and Captain 
Massey will be your future Captain." He then, 



168 RESIGNATION OF 

after reading Captain Massey's order, inquired how 
long it would take me to get out of the ship. Three 
hours, I informed him, would be sufficient for packing 
up my private things; but with respect to the ship, 
he must know, as well as I did, what time would be 
requisite. He said, very well ; in three hours, then, 
you will go to one of the steamers. I replied, I will 
go to the City of Edinburgh, as I have taken my 
passage in her. " Very well," he said ; and, turning 
to Captain Massey, « You will not join till Captain 
Mins has left." He, Captains Massey and Goblet, 
then went over the side of the ship. All this conver- 
sation took place on the quarter-deck, and therefore 
must have been generally heard. 

I desired the men on board to come to my clerk for 
their money, as soon as possible, and also gave them 
my cards of address for those of their old shipmates 
who were away, that they might send them to me to 
be paid. It was now, after my papers were packed, that 
I received the second letter respecting the Commercio 
Maritimo, which I have mentioned before. 

By the time I had packed up, my gig was reported 
ready ; the men were all up, and crowded round me. 



CAPTAIN MIXS. 



169 



to take leave. Of the officers I could see only the mas- 
ter, commissary, and two surgeons; I shook hands 
with them, and went to the gangway, where, if I had 
for a moment been mortified, at so few of my officers 
haying appeared on deck, I was more than compen- 
sated on seeing the compliment which awaited me : two 
midshipmen attended the side, the first lieutenant 
steered the boat, and four others pulled her, the sea- 
men giving three tremendous cheers as we shoved off. 

I had taken care, knowing the character of the 
commander I was no longer under, to get my own, 
and my servants' discharge regularly signed by the 
commanding officer*. 



* List of one Commissioned Officer and two Men, discharged from 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria II,, the 1st day 
of January, 1833. 



NAMES. 



Quality. 



Peter Miss . . . . 
JosephConstance 



Wm. Jones (1) . 



Captain 
Steward 



Domestic 

I 

(Signed) 



Entrv. 



Dec. 17, 1831 



Date. 



Jan.l, 1833 



Slops, 



3 YdsCloth,!- 5s 



Ditto. 

1 Pair Shoes 
I 2 lbs. Soap 

R. M. ROBINSON, 

First Lieutenant, and Commanding Officer. 

I 



170 CAPTAIN MINS, 

Pleased, as I must have been, at finding my con- 
duct met with the approbation of my officers, the 
reproof which the Admiral addressed to them, seems 
to indicate that the greatest gratification (and it was 
no small one) which such a compliment could afford 
me, fell far short of his mortification at seeing how 
much I was beloved by my crew, and how highly I 
was esteemed by my officers. The document, in which 
the Admiral first affixes his name to the falsehood of 
having placed me under arrest, is too precious to be 
passed over, 

(memorandum.) 

Rainha da Portugal. 
At a time when all military discipline and subordi- 
nation have been shaken to the base, by the mutinous 
conduct of the crews of the squadron under my com- 
mand ; and when also, the conduct of one of my cap- 
tains was such, as rather to have encouraged those 
mutinous proceedings than otherwise, and I judged 
it necessary, for that and various other reasons, to 
supersede Captain Mins, and put him under an arrest ; 



AXD THE ADMIRAL. 



171 



at such a time as this, it was with extreme pain that I 
observed, the same day Captain Mins was put under 
an arrest and quitted his ship, he was rowed from the 
Donna Maria II. to the steamer destined to receive 
him, by a boat's crew composed entirely of officers, and 
amongst them the two senior lieutenants. Such con- 
duct admits of no excuse from officers who have passed 
their examination for lieutenants in the British 
Navy; still less so, when it is considered that the 
Commander-in-Chief once before returned them their 
commissions, and overlooked their previous miscon- 
duct, lieutenant Ludlow also, when the request was 
communicated to him and others to cut off their mus- 
tachios, &c. and conforming to the usages, in dress 
and appearances, of the British Navy (whose regula- 
tions have always guided us), thought it proper also 
to shave off his eye-brows, as if in ridicule of that 
order. 

The Commander-in-Chief therefore judged it neces- 
sary to inform those officers, that he considers such 
behaviour subversive of all military discipline, and a 
pernicious example to the seamen (already too much 



172 CAPTAIN MTNS, 

inclined to treat me with contempt), and a wanton and 
uncalled-for insult to him, without the poor palliation 
of having experienced a want of friendliness or cour- 
tesy from him. 

The Commander-in-Chief will communicate through 
letter to His Imperial Majesty consideration ; — and 
if such should also be communicated to the Admiralty 
at home, it is not likely the chance of these officers' 
promotions will be increased by it. 

Captain Massey will severely reprimand Lieutenant 
Robinson and Ludlow ; and point out to them the 
necessity of strictly and honourably performing their 
duty, without entering, on any occasion, into party 
feelings and cabals. 

R. G. SERTORIUS, 

Vice- Admiral, and Major-General 
of Her Most Faithful Majesty's Navy, 

Vigo Bay, 
January 7 th, 1833. 

On board the City of Edinburgh I found Crosbie, 
whom the Admiral had removed from his ship ; and, 



AND THE ADMIRAL. 



173 



the next day, Bertrand, to avoid the same fate, obtained 
leave of absence. Blackiston publicly said he meant 
to retire from the service ; but promotion induced him 
to alter his determination, Shute, too, would have gone 
home ; but the Admiral begged him to remain, telling 
him, " as he urns so young, he did not blame him 
about the court-martial? 

I brought on board the steamer my live stock, wine, 
porter, and every necessary for the table, of which I 
had an ample store, with my glass and crockery, as 
also my papers, books, clothes, and many articles of 
value ; but I had not time to pack them very carefully, 
In my trunks, I had the dollars which I had received 
from the men, when I gave them bills for the amount 
on Carbonell ; the money which I had received from 
the Marquis Palmella, that which had been seized on 
suspicion of having been stolen out of the Commercio 
Maritimo, and some which belonged to those men who 
were absent when I left the Donna Maria, with a few 
other small sums, amounting in all to about i?.800 
sterling, in Spanish dollars and gold. In the morning, 
the mate of the City of Edinburgh informed me. 



174 CAPTAIN MINS, 

that the Admiral desired I would go on board the 
other steamer ; but as he had no longer any right to 
command me, I refused to leave the one in which I 
had engaged my passage ; and towards the evening, 
having heard that the Admiral had threatened to 
remove me by force, I, acting under the advice of 
Captain Crosbie and others, retired to the cabin, and 
locked the door. I had made up my mind to go on 
shore at Oporto, but the mate having received a writ- 
ten order from the Admiral to return immediately, 
without landing the bullocks, if I was on board, begged 
me, on our passage, not to hazard getting him into 
trouble, but to await the arrival of his captain (Frazer), 
who would come on board at that place. On arriving 
there, I resolved that Captain Frazer should not, on 
my account, incur the risk of being visited by the 
Admiral's vindictive wrath. I therefore, putting my 
property under his charge, and giving him, in Captain 
Crosbie's presence, instruction in writing, not to 
deliver it to any one except my agent, went back with 
him to Vigo. In return for my consideration for this 
man, he handed all my packages over to the Admiral, 



AND THE ADMIRAL. 



175 



for permission to wear a lieutenant's coat, which he 
gave him in the shape of an acting order. 

The steamer conveyed to Vigo some marines and 
seamen ; and my old friend Serpa, who, having heard 
that I was on board, came into the cabin to see me, 
being the bearer of a message from the Emperor, ex- 
pressing, in answer to my letter, his Majesty's wish, 
that, as I could not agree with the Admiral, I should 
give up my ship, but continue in the service at Oporto. 
This message made me now regret that I had not 
landed there ; I told Serpa, I should be most happy to 
serve his Majesty, though I wished, with his permis- 
sion, first to go to England for a short time. 

On the 5th, we anchored near the Admiral's ship ; 
and I was informed, that he, having learnt I was still 
in the steamer, was about to issue one of his orders 
to me ; but, as I no longer owed obedience to him, 
I made up my mind not to receive it, or even to 
see any of his officers ; and on hearing, that he again 
threatened to remove me by force, I, acting under the 
advice of Captain Bertrand, left the vessel, and went 
in a shore-boat to Vigo. I regret having taken this 



176 



CALUMNIES OF 



step ; and it is the only step I do regret having taken* 
throughout the whole continuance of the Admiral^ 
most illegal proceedings and arbitrary violation of all 
the rules and instructions for the naval service. The 
advice was bad, and I ought not to have been swayed 
by it. I should have permitted myself to have been 
taken before the illegal court, by which he wished to 
try me, — have protested against its competency, and 
have refused to enter on any defence. 

While at Vigo, I heard, for the first time, of some 
of the calumnies against me, which the Admiral was 
circulating. I immediately wrote* to him, in terms of 
the strongest reproach for his conduct, and told him, 
that I would appear before a court-martial, to answer 
any charge, as soon as he would assemble one com- 
petent to try me, composed of all the captains in her 
Majesty's navy. The meaning of this expression, he 
has wilfully misrepresented, in his letter of the 7th 
February, 1833, on the subject, to the Minister of 
Marine ; but of this I shall speak hereafter. 

* Appendix, No. LII. Note. — I forwarded a copy of this letter to 
the Emperor. 



THE ADMIRAL. 



177 



Having seized my property, the Admiral made 
prize of my wine, porter, and stock, for which I had 
recently paid a considerable sum ; thus, for the third 
time at my expense, adding to the savings from his 
table money : but I would have passed over this 
instance of his well-known penurious habits, if he 
had but thrown the bones to my dog, whom he had put 
under an arrest, and ordered for execution, without 
even the form of a mock trial. Poor Flora ! she was 
rescued from her sentence, but she was half starved, 
when brought back to me by Ludlow, who was re- 
moved from his ship, and came on shore, as agent 
to transports, on the 16th, when the squadron went to 
sea. My servants were made prisoners, and searched, 
and the Admiral opened and read their private let- 
ters. While he was indulging himself in the com- 
mission of these acts of paltry meanness, I had to 
defend the character of English officers ; for I felt 
that our national and professional honour would be 
compromised, if I did not defend the Admiral from 
the accusation of the Spaniards ; though all I could 
say was unavailing, to convince them (in opposition 
i5 



178 REMARKS OF THE SPANIARDS. 

to the facts which they adduced as positive proofs of 
his guilt), that he was not bribed by the Usurper. 
"What,"" they said, "can be the motives for his,conduct? 
Why did he not take Dom Miguel's fleet, when he 
could ? Why did he keep in port so long, while the 
enemy were landing powder and shot in sight of the 
Foz Castle ; which, with one ship only, he could have 
prevented ? w 

The London Merchant (steamer) brought an ac- 
count to Vigo, of the failure of a sortie made by the 
Constitutional troops at Oporto, in consequence of the 
ships not getting in to their support till four hours 
after the appointed time ; and though they did at last 
attack a fort on the beach, they soon hauled off, after 
having a few men wounded, and a few spars knocked 
a^ay; the flag being, on this occasion, in the Dom 
Pedro, but the Admiral in a steamer the whole time. 
A JSfelson or a Codrington might have done this with- 
out imputation; not so Sertorius; he was considered, 
by most of the seamen, to have behaved cowardly in 
the first action, and by all, to have run away from the 
enemy's fleet in the second, when he ought to have 



LIEUTENANT GLASSCOCK. 



179 



captured it; and this last affair has confirmed his 
character beyond all redemption. 

On the 9th of February I went on board the Lord 
of the Isles steamer, just from England with troops, 
Mr. Bell kindly offering to convey me to Oporto. The 
weather, however, detained us some time at the 
Bayonna Islands. While there, the Donna Maria came 
in, and I availed myself of this opportunity of sending 
a message to Captain Massey, who, in the course of a 
conversation at the Admiral's table, to the great de- 
light of his host and secretary, my conscientious friend, 
Boid, had made use of expressions with respect to me, 
so highly offensive to the ears of a gentleman, as to 
compel Captain Blackiston, who was not a friend of 
mine, to get up and leave them, saying, " The Admiral 
ought to be ashamed of himself for suffering such lan- 
guage. 1 ' Lieutenant Glasscock, of the Queen's Lan- 
cers, kindly waited on Captain Massey for me, and on 
his return delivered to me the following memorandum, 
which he (Lieutenant Glasscock) had signed : — 

" Having waited on Captain Massey, I stated, in 
plain terms, I was deputed by Captain Mins, to ascer- 



180 



CAPTAIN MASSEY. 



tain whether Captain Massey had spoken in terms 
reflecting on Captain Mins^s character. He made 
allusion to the not serving with him, because of his 
conduct as a midshipman. I then told Captain 
Massey I had nothing to do with any thing that had 
occurred twenty years ago, I was come to demand, for 
Captain Mins, the usual satisfaction one gentleman 
expects from another, immediately, or a written contra- 
diction. He told me he would do neither. That 
Captain Mins's conduct as a midshipman, and the 
charges now against him, disentitled him to it. I then 
informed him that he must stand the consequence, for 
Captain Mins would post him to the world as he 
deserved. He then said, if Captain Mins clears him- 
self from the charges now against him, and the Naval 
Club think it proper, then he would ; however, the 
postponing it was declined." 

I shall not condescend to make any comment on 
this reply ; officers, and gentlemen, well know what 
terms are applicable to Captain Massey. I could say 
much of his disgraceful conduct, such as his making 
the midshipmen of the watch drunk, the first night he 



OPORTO. 



181 



took possession of the Donna Maria, and his being, 
almost always, himself in a state of shameless intoxica- 
cation : but his conduct has placed him beneath my 
notice; and so, except that I shall have occasion to 
insert in the Appendix some letters in which his name 
is mentioned, he must ever remain. 

Before I left Vigo I was told, and I believe it to be 
true, knowing, as I do, the great liberality of the 
Emperor, and his kindness and attention to the 
English, that the Admiral had received a present of 
six thousand francs, and a service of plate, for convey- 
ing His Majesty to Terceira: yet he had frequently 
complained to me, that he had been most stingily 
treated ; and that the Emperor had not only not given 
him a penny, but had insulted his ship, by saying she 
was like a merchantman. 

At length I started for Oporto*. Immediately on 

* The day after the Donna Maria arrived, the Admiral passed up 
to Vigo, having lost anchor and cable, and sent Captains Blackiston 
and Boid, four hours after my departure, for the purpose of making 
me a prisoner. My conscientious friend must have been a volunteer 
in this service, for the " peculiar duties" of his civil situation did 
not oblige him to the execution of an arrest. 



182 



DISMISSAL OF 



landing there I went to the Emperor, who, as soon as 
he saw me, said, " How is it you are here? the Admiral 
has reported that you were put under an arrest, and 
have" broken it." I assured his Majesty that I never 
was under an arrest, and begged him to let me know 
all the Admiral's accusations. He replied, " If you 
were undeY an arrest you must have broken it, by 
coming here : the Admiral also charges you with 
having stolen 10,000 dollars from a prize, which I do 
not believe, as you would not then have come here ; 
but go to the Minister of Marine, and you shall have 
justice done you." 

Having first reported my arrival, to that Minister, 
Bernardo de Sa, I called on him, and he very reluct- 
antly consented to put me under an arrest, saying it 
must only be nominal. I availed myself of the first 
opportunity, to find out the captain of the Commercio 
Maritimo, and obtained from him, in the presence of 
Sir John Milley Doyle, and Senhor Serpa, an account 
of the robbery which had been committed in his ship. 

On the 13th of March, the dismissal of the Vice- 
Admiral, and Captain Crosbie's appointment to the 



THE ADMIRAL. 



183 



temporary command of the squadron, appeared in the 
Gazette ; and, on the following day, Captains Crosbie 
and George, with Sir John Milley Doyle, and suite, 
departed for Vigo Bay. I was now sent for to attend 
the Ministers in council. They said, after calling my 
attention to the notice in the Gazette, that, as soon as 
the Admiral arrived at Oporto, they intended to send 
me to my own ship, to be tried by a court-martial, and 
that they had no doubt I should then have a fair trial, 
as they were well aware, jealousy alone had dictated 
the Admiral's conduct towards me; and that, the court- 
martial over, they intended me to be Commander-in- 
Chief. I told them that, till I had been tried, I could 
accept no appointment at all ; and that if I were honour- 
ably acquitted, of which I felt confident, I did not wish 
to have the command of the fleet, as I was too young 
in the naval service, and had not sufficient experience 
for such an important appointment. They urged me 
with many persuasions to accept it, and I at last said, 
u If my services are really wanted, I will, with pleasure, 
take care of the squadron, till you can get an older 
officer from England ; and then I shall be glad to re- 
sume my former rank, of second in command. With 



184 



COURT MARTIAL 



these provisoes, I agreed to take the temporary charge 
of the fleet. 

On the 24th, I witnessed an affair between the 
land-forces, and was delighted to see the bravery of 
the troops. I shall never forget the coolness of Major 
Brownson on this occasion ; the enemy had given the 
first English regiment a check, and gained a height of 
consequence, but Major Brownson, and his few brave 
men, soon turned them in glorious style. The Em- 
peror, who was watching with much anxiety the 
movements of the troops, appeared quite overjoyed at 
the gallantry displayed, and loudly and warmly be- 
stowed praises on them. 

On the 27th, I received, through my friend Serpa, 
a communication from the Ministers, informing me 
that the state of the squadron was such, that it was 
impossible to assemble a court-martial on board, to 
try me ; and suggesting, as there was urgent neces- 
sity for my services, that I should submit my con- 
duct to the investigation of Portuguese officers. 
Serpa brought with him a letter, addressed to the 
Emperor, for me to sign ; I however preferred 
writing one myself* and gave him the following : — 



ON CAPTAIN MINS. 



185 



March 27 th, 1833, 

Your Majesty, 

Having been unlawfully removed by the late Vice- Admiral 
from the command of the ship entrusted to me by your Majesty ; and 
having failed in every attempt to get a lawful court-martial, accord- 
ing to the British navy, to inquire into the charges brought agaihsl 
me by him, I beg your Majesty will forward my anxiety to assist the 
good cause I have been so long engaged in, by ordering a court, accord- 
ing to the Portuguese laws, to inquire into the charges contained in 
the Admiral's letters ; and for the good of the country, and in conse- 
quence of the conduct of the Admiral, I, for this charge, will renounce- 
that particular clause under which I am serving. 

Wishing health and happiness to your Majesty, 
I am your Majesty's dutiful subject, 
P. Mins, Captain de Mar & Guerre. 

To his Imperial Ma/esty, 
Dom Pedro, 
Duke of Braganza. 

His Imperial Majesty directed a court-martial to 
assemble, the proceedings of which I have already 
published, and now reprint in the Appendix *. I 
must however here transcribe a passage from the Ad- 
miral's accusatory letter, for the purpose of showing 
the mis-representation which I before mentioned : — 
" In the same letter, also, Captain Mins refuses to 
appear, unless that which he knows cannot be granted 
to him will be acceded, namely, a court-martial com- 



* Appendix, court-martial, No. LI II. 



186 



COURT MARTIAL 



posed of all the officers, both Portuguese and English^ 
of her Most Faithful Majesty's service, which is evi- 
dently only a subterfuge, he being well aware that 
the laws of the two navies are different ; and that a 
court-martial upon the same principle as that which 
tried Captain Rose, whose legality he acknowledged 
by sitting as president, must be equally legal for him, 
the more particularly as the British laws only admit of 
one principle for the formation of a court-martial on 
military persons, from the Admiral down to the sailor ? 

I will now copy those passages of my own letter 
to him of which he here professes to give the import : — 
" Your Captains are not eligible to try me, the senior 
captain in the service ; I have therefore a right to 
demand a full court, composed of all the Captains in 
her Majesty's navy." And again, " When you can 
make up your mind to act with honour and justice, 
by causing a court to be composed of all the Captains 
in the service, you will find me ready to appear before 
them ; but never before an unlawful court." 

Who, after comparing that which he * gives, as part 

* Appendix, No. LI 1 1., letter containing charges in court-martial. 



ON CAPTAIN MINS. 



187 



of my letter, with these extracts from that letter, can 
have any doubt that he wilfully mis-stated my mean- 
ing ; especially when it is borne in mind, that he had 
dismissed all the Captains, and supplied their places 
with persons under acting orders, who held no com- 
missions in the service, and to whom he knew I alluded 
by the words 66 your Captai?is? 

The court-martial on Captain Rose was composed of 
officers holding commissions, which rendered them 
eligible to try him: it was therefore formed on the 
principles of the British navy; and consequently I 
acknowledged its legality *. But now, when, for the 
purpose of packing a court, which he hoped to over- 
awe, he gave the command of the ships to persons 
who would not have been competent to try Captain 
Rose, and certainly were not competent to try me, the 
senior Captain, who had a right to have for my judges 
five captains, with commissions from the Emperor, 
and not acting orders from the Admiral only, I 
refused to acknowledge the validity of the Admiral's 

* It was legal, as far as related to the rank of the officers who 
composed the court. 



188 



COURT MARTIAL 



innovation on the principles of the British navy ; and 
in so doing I obeyed one of his own orders*. Perhaps 
the Admiral may cavil, at this application of his own 
order, to his own breach of the articles of contract, by 
insinuating that the high authority at which that order 
glanced, was not his own, but Dom Pedro's ; and I 
must, if he calls upon me, admit, that the whole tenor 
of his conduct proved, that the Admiral thought him- 
self authorised, whenever spleen, caprice, or passion 
moved him, to break through all the stipulations and 
engagements which had been entered into for the 
benefit and protection of those under him, while he 
never paid more deference to the legal orders of the 
Emperor, than accorded with his own interest or 
pleasure for the moment. 

I have shown that it is not true, that I fled from a 
court-martial; but that, on the contrary, I went to 
Oporto to procure one — was put under an arrest — and 
about to be sent to the squadron to be tried, which the 
open mutiny of the Admiral prevented ; then, and not 
till then, I consented, for the urgent reasons before 

• Appendix, No. VI. 



OX CAPTAIX MIXS. 



189 



given, and at the request of the Government, to submit 
my conduct to the examination of Portuguese officers. 
I said, again and again, at Oporto, " This proceeding 
may satisfy the Emperor, that the Admiral's allegations 
are all false ; but it will not satisfy me. Nothing short 
of such a formal trial as the rules of the service require, 
will be conclusive to the minds of my brother officers 
at home, and it is their good opinion I am desirous 
of retaining. It may be very well for the ministers 
now to be convinced that, if wanted, I may be trusted : 
but I require more for my vindication ; though, under 
the present emergency, I have consented to the step, 
which they asked me to adopt. 11 There was not, as the 
Admiral asserts, a legal court at hand*, and he declined 
coming on shore to support his charges ; not because 
he thought the proceedings a " burlesque absurdity, 11 
but because he felt such a heavy weight of treason on 
his soul, that he was ashamed to face the authorities 
against which he had rebelled. It was perhaps wise 
of him to keep away. Sir John Milley Doyle was at 



♦Appendix, No. LVIII. 



190 



CAPTAIN GEORGE. 



Oporto ; and though he might have made his terms 
with the Government, Sir John had, he was aware, a 
favour to ask him, and might have proved trouble- 
some and importunate. 

During the adjournment of the Portuguese court, 
Captain George came on shore, and called on me. In 
the course of conversation, I was induced to think 
the Admiral wanted to come round. I therefore asked 
him if it was by the Admiral's wish he came to talk to 
me. He replied, the Admiral had said something of 
the kind. "Go tell him," I said, " to undo first all that 
he has done with respect to me, and say to him, in 
plain terms, I will not bend, or yield at all." I had 
lately learnt the result of a Court of Inquiry, which 
the Admiral had on some unlucky morning — "his 
better demon absent from his side " — assembled on my 
conduct, composed of Captain Goblet, Captain Black- 
iston, Captain Shute, Lieutenant Robinson, and Lieu- 
tenant Burt of the marines. This was a strangely 
mixed court, and not competent, according to any 
law, to try me. 

The charges were not sent to me ; I was not ordered 
to attend; notes of proceedings were not kept for 



COURT OF INQUIRY. 



191 



me ; and those which my clerk made, were taken from 
him. and destroyed. The Admiral'and his whole fleet 
of witnesses were within his call. There was no cross- 
examination — no defence. The Admiral was strenuous 
and indefatigable to procure my condemnation, and 
had obtained the zealous and active assistance of my 
own commissary Beaumond ; yet the case was too bad, 
the honour of these officers would not allow them to 
gratify the Admiral's malignity ; they acquitted me of 
every tiring he alleged against me, except not having 
reported to him the robbery of the Commercio Mari- 
Hmo immediately after it had taken place. And on 
this point too, they must have acquitted me, if the 
Admiral had spoken the truth. The decision, under 
all circumstances, is highly creditable to them ; and I 
can blame then onlv for not having refused to enter 
into the inquiry, on which their want of rank in the 
profession rendered them incompetent to decide. I 
have thus been acquitted by two courts. Before one, 
I was not permitted to make any defence at all : and 
in mv defence before the other, I was embarrassed bv 
manv difficulties — such as the absence of witnesses — 



192 



MAJOR HILL. 



the impossibility of procuring original documents, 
copies which I had, not being, according to the Por- 
tuguese laws, admissible, and my ignorance of the 
Portuguese language. What could I have to fear, if, 
with the usual facilities allowed a prisoner, I had met 
the prosecuting Admiral before a legal tribunal? 

I return to the narrative, from which this discussion 
on courts-martial, and courts of inquiry, has led me 
to digress. 

On the night of the 25th of March, the ministers 
again sent for me. They inquired if I had had 
any communication with the steamer, which had just 
arrived from the squadron ; and on my replying in 
the negative, told me that they feared the Admiral 
had carried off the ships to England. They then 
asked me what sort of a person was Major Hill, of 
the marines: and whether he was trustworthy? I 
said, " I will forfeit my arm if he is guilty of a dis- 
honourable action." — " He has," they said, " joined 
the Admiral, in signing a paper against the Go- 
vernment.'" Major Hill, I knew, had had occasion to 
go to the fleet, shortly before Sir John Milley Doyle 



SIR JOHN MILLEY DOYLE. 



193 



was sent out ; and I began to imagine that he had 
returned in the steamer. I pressed the ministers on 
the point, and begged to be allowed to see him, as I 
was sure I could convince them of his honour and 
integrity. At last, they consented : — he was sent for, 
and, they being satisfied that he might be trusted, he 
was ordered to prepare to carry dispatches to the 
Admiral, instead of being sent to prison, which was 
nearly being his fate. Major Hill is an old friend of 
mine ; he had served with me for some time in the 
Donna Maria, and I have the highest opinion of 
him : — but he had no business to commit himself to 
the Admiral's resolutions, and I rejoice that I had the 
opportunity of extricating him from the consequences 
of his imprudence, and putting his character in its 
right light. 

On the 7th of April, Sir John Milley Doyle re- 
turned from his mission ; and as ne has favoured me 
with an account of his reception and treacment, I 
prefer giving it in his own woros, to any abridgment 
Gf my own. 

K 



194 



SIE JOHN MILLEY DOYLe's 



Major-General Sir John Milley DoyWs Mission to 
the squadron of Her Most Faithful Majesty. 

On the 13th of March, 1833, about 9 p.m., Sir John 
Milley Doyle received his final instructions from His 
Imperial Majesty the Regent, and his ministers, to 
proceed, with Captains Crosbie and Bressane Lieto, to 
St. John de Foz, to embark on board the London 
Merchant (steamer). The night was dark, with 
every appearance of bad weather. It was one o'clock 
in the morning of the 14th, before the boat could be 
got ready, and clearly off. On getting amongst the 
shipping, it was found the steamer had left about 
11 p.m. on the preceding night, when they were 
compelled to embark on board the St. Bernardo 
(a Portuguese schooner). The weather coming on 
very bad, we were driven off the shore, to the south- 
west, and did not reach Vigo until Saturday, the 
23rd, at 10 a.m. Before the St. Bernardo an- 
chored, a boat, with Mr. Fitch, midshipman of the 
Rainha da Portugal (flag ship) boarded, to inquire 



MISSION TO THE SQUADRON. 



195 



what vessel it was, and who she had on board. He 
took the names of all the passengers, and returned to 
the frigate, with a message from Sir John Doyle 
to Admiral Sertorius, to the following purport : — " Sir 
John's compliments to His Excellency; he had 
arrived with dispatches from His Imperial Majesty 
the Regent, and he was dressing in his uniform, to 
wait upon him, with his dispatches and instructions ; 
and, as the boat belonging to the schooner was very 
small, he requested His Excellency would allow a 
boat to come for him, in half an hour." 

Previous to the expiration of the time, a cutter, 
with Lieutenant Liot, the crew armed with swords* 
came alongside ; the officer came down to the cabin, 
and inquired for Captain Crosbie, who presented 
himself immediately, when the lieutenant said, " I am 
directed by the Admiral to tell you to consider 
yourself a prisoner at large." He then turned to Sir 
John, and said, " I am desired to take you on board 
the Admiral's ship." Sir John then proceeded on deck 
in full uniform, as Major-General, and with the in- 
signia of his office as Aide-de-camp to His Imperial 



196 



SIR JOHN MILLEY DOYLE's 



Majesty, attended by Captain Bressane Lieto, 
Intendente of Marine, also in full uniform, and two 
officers of the General's staff. On Sir John getting 
into the boat, the lieutenant said, he could permit no 
person to accompany him, as he had strict orders on 
that point from the Admiral. Sir John represented 
to the officer that Captain Bressane Lieto was one of 
his colleagues in the Royal Commission, and had 
dispatches, and instructions, to show the Admiral, 
authorising him to settle the accounts of the 
fleet, and pay the men and officers. Lieutenant 
Liot replied, that he could not comply with Sir 
John's wishes, as his orders from the Admiral were 
imperative. 

Sir John then proceeded in the boat to the flag ship. 
The crew appeared to be at quarters, all looking out of 
the port-holes. On Sir John's getting on deck, he was 
not received with any mark of respect, whatever : he 
. found the Admiral standing, a little abaft the capstan, 
in undress. Sir John walked up to him, offering him 
his hand, with the usual compliments between gentle- 
men : but the Admiral started back, and said, " Sir, 



MISSION TO THE SQUADRON. 



197 



before I can give you my hand, I must know the object 
of your visit and mission." Sir John replied, " Per- 
haps, Admiral, it would be as well, if we were to retire 
to your cabin, that I may there deliver to you the 
Carta Regia, of which I have the honour to be the 
bearer, from His Imperial Majesty, and the instruc- 
tions from Her Most faithful Majesty's Government, 
for your Excellency's guidance, and due execution." 
The Admiral, at the moment, appeared greatly ex- 
cited. Sir John repeated, that " he thought it would be 
better to go below, the deck, on which the crew were 
assembling in groups, not being a fit place for discuss- 
ing such matters." The Admiral, in a violent tone, 
said, " that is for me to judge of;" and then pe- 
remptorily demanded Sir John's authority, and instruc- 
tions. Sir John immediately took out of his pocket 
the Carta Regia, saying, " With permission, he 
would read part of the instructions which related to 
him." The Admiral replied, " No, Sir ; I shall read 
them myself." He snatched them out of Sir John's 
hands, and read them. 



198 SIR JOHN MILLEY DOYLE's 

CARTA REGIA. 

Sir John Milley Doyle, Marechal de Campo of 
the Royal Army, belonging to my Etat 
Major Imperial. 
Friend, 

I, the Duke of Braganza, Regent, in the name 
of the Queen, send you much greeting. It is for the 
good of the service, that you go on board the squad- 
ron of the same August Senhora, now at anchor in 
Vigo Bay, to put in execution the orders you have 
received. I direct you to embark immediately, and to 
be particular to fulfil all the instructions you have 
received of the same date as these. I have to assure 
you that I confide to your intelligence, zeal, and 
activity, in putting into effect the important mission 
with which you are charged. 

D. PEDRO, Duke de Braganza. 
(Signed) BERNARDO DE SA MOQUIERA. 
Written in the Palace of Oporto, 
13th of March, 1833. 

To Sir John Milley Doyle. 



MISSION TO THE SQUADRON. 199 

( Translations.) 

MARINE DEPARTMENT. 

Instructions given to Sir John Milley Doyle, Mare- 
chal de Campo, A. D. C. to His Imperial Majesty 
the Duke of Braganza, Regent of Portugal. 

I. — Sir John Milley Doyle will immediately embark 
on board the London Merchant (steamer), and pro- 
ceed to Vigo, or wherever he is likely to meet with Her 
Most Faithful Majesty's squadron, for the purpose of 
presenting to Vice-Admiral Sertorius the Royal Decree 
(Carta Regia), superseding him from the command in 
chief of the said squadron. For this purpose, Sir 
John M. Doyle will present the Vice- Admiral the 
Royal authority he has received, from His Imperial 
Majesty, the Regent, the important commission, as 
will be seen by the Royal Decree, which was delivered 
to him of the same date. 

II. — Sir John is likewise charged to invest the Capt. 
de Mar e Guerra S. Crosbie, with the temporary 
command of the squadron, in virtue of the decree, which 
to that effect has been passed, bearing the same date. 



200 SIR JOHN MILLEY DOYLe's 

and which will be delivered to him by the said Sir 
John M. Doyle. 

III. — Sir John M. Doyle is directed to declare? 
and assure Vice- Admiral Sertorius, that the Govern- 
ment of Her Most Faithful Majesty undertake to sa- 
tisfy all legal claims which can be made by the said 
Vice-Admiral Sertorius, officers, and crews of the 
squadron ; but that it will only satisfy such claims, on 
the conditions that the command, de facto, be trans- 
ferred to Captain de Mar e Guerra S. Crosbie ; Vice- 
Admiral Sertorius being directed to return to Oporto, 
for the settlement of his accounts. 

IV. — If (contrary to the expectations of Her Most 
Faithful Majesty's Government) it so happens, that 
Vice-Admiral Sertorius refuses to deliver up the com- 
mand of the squadron, Sir John M. Doyle, after 
having exhausted all means of persuasion, is directed to 
place him in arrest, and conduct him to Oporto, in 
consequence of his disobedience of these orders. 

In all other occurrences which may take place in 
the present affair, Sir John M. Doyle will act con- 
jointly with the temporary Commander of the squad- 



MISSION TO THE SQUADRON. 



201 



ron, and Captain Bressane Lieto, that the important 
commission may be terminated with the greatest bre- 
vity, and in the most amicable manner, so as to enable 
the squadron of Her Most Faithful Majesty to sail 
immediately for Oporto. 

(Signed) 

BERNARDO DE SA MOQUIERA. 
Palace of Oporto, 13th March, 1833. 

Having read them, the Admiral started back, and 
said, loud enough for all hands to hear, " So, Sir, you 
have come to make a prisoner of me. 11 Sir John re- 
plied, " Admiral Sertorius, that entirely depends 
upon your own subsequent conduct." The Admiral, 
in a violent rage, exclaimed, " You are the last man 
that should have come on such a mission ; as an 
Englishman, it is a disgrace to you ; before I would 
have been the bearer of such an order, I would 
have flung up my commission, torn the paper, and 
thrown it in the face of Dom Pedro ! Sir,"" he added, 
in a most imperious tone, " You will consider your- 
self a prisoner and he directed an officer of marines, 
k5 



202 



SIR JOHN MILLEY DOYLE's 



an acting sub-lieutenant (Emsworth), to take the 
General's sword. Sir John then said, " Admiral 
Sertorius, I beg to protest against all your acts, and 
authority, as illegal, insubordinate, and revolutionary, 
and to state publicly, on your quarter deck, that I will 
obey no orders of your's, except by force, and against 
usurped force, there is no resistance. You are aware 
of the instructions and orders I have received from the 
Regent, and Government of HerMost Faithful Majesty 
Donna Maria Segunda, as you have most unjustifiably 
forced them from me. I did not wish you to see, until 
the last extremity, the concluding paragraph, which 
directed me, in case of your non-obedience to the 
orders of Her Most Faithful Majesty's Government, 
to place you in arrest, and conduct you to Oporto."" 
The Admiral then said, " The Government have not 
fulfilled their contract with me, therefore I am not 
bound to obey them ; and, by my contract with Che- 
\alier de Lima, they cannot place any officer (native or 
foreigner) over my head, or remove me from the com- 
mand of the fleet, until all the conditions are fulfilled : 
then, I don't care a damn what they do with me, as 



MISSION TO THE SQUADRON. 203 

they have treated me with such bad faith and in- 
gratitude, in return for all the services I have rendered 
them, and sufferings I have received in their cause. I 
shall always respect the cause, but regret that it is in 
the hands of such a set of faithless scoundrels." Sir John 
then, again, " entreated the Admiral would consider the 
deck, at any rate, not a proper place for such language; 
but since it has gone so far, he continued, I beg leave 
now publicly to state, in the presence of your Excellen- 
cy, and of your officers and crew, that I have been 
honoured with the commands of the Regent and Go- 
vernment of Her Most Faithful Majesty, to assure 
you and them, that every condition made on behalf 
of the Government, either by the Chevalier de Lima, 
or any other authorised agent, and all promises which 
you were empowered to make to the squadron, shall 
be religiously and scrupulously maintained, to the 
utmost extent. ,, — " Sir," said the Admiral, " I cannot 
permit you to address my men at present, you will 
have many opportunities hereafter."" 

At this moment Captain Goblet, of the Dom Pedro, 
came on board. After having paid his respects to the 



204 SIR JOHN MILLEY DOYLe's 

Admiral, he advanced to Sir John, shook hands with 
him, and expressed his regret that he had not been 
on board on his (Sir John's) arrival, as he might have 
prevented the unpleasant scenes which had taken place 
on the deck, in face of many of the officers and 
crew. Shortly afterwards, the Admiral, Captain Gob- 
let, and the other officers, commanding the different 
ships of the squadron, who had come on board, went 
into the Admiral's cabin, Sir John remaining on deck, 
in custody of Lieutenant Ems worth. In about half 
an hour, Sir John was summoned, by Captain Boid, 
the secretary to the Admiral, to go to the Admiral's 
cabin, which he did, attended by his guard. On en- 
tering, the Admiral said — " The Captains of the 
squadron are now present, and you will hear from 
thenij the sentiments and feelings of the fleet. On 
this, Captain Goblet, of the Dom Pedro, said, " Sir 
John, it is needless to enter into discussions on this 
head ; the men are determined to be paid, instantly, 
all their arrears ; indeed, the Admiral cannot prevent 
it, as the squadron have come to the determination 
not to permit the Admiral, or any of the officers, to 



MISSION TO THE SQUADRON. 



205 



leave the ships, until they are paid to the last far- 
thing; and the wounded men's remunerations, the 
widows' pensions, and all accounts, finally settled." 

Captain Massey, of the Donna Maria, voluntarily 
re-echoed all that Captain Goblet had said ; and Cap- 
tain Boid stated, that all the ships of the squadron 
had come to the same determination ; indeed, the 
crews of the ships had passed resolutions to the above 
effect. He then drew a paper from his pocket, and 
said, with the Admiral's permission, he would read the 
resolutions adopted at a regular meeting on board the 
Dom Pedro, which was followed by similar meetings 
on board all the other ships ; and he read, in an unin- 
telligible manner, a sort of preamble to the resolutions, 
to the purport — that the crew under his command 
hoped that Captain Goblet w r ould not be offended at 
the steps they had taken. He then muttered over 
something more to Sir John, and concluded by stating, 
the thanks of the meeting had been voted to the 
Admiral, and Captain Goblet. Sir John replied, that 
however great a respect he had for public meetings, 
and the legitimate expressions of public feelings, he 



206 



SIR JOHN MILLEY DOYLE's 



could never approve of such proceedings in a fleet, or 
a camp. The Admiral then addressed Sir John, saying, 
" I understand, Sir, you have brought a considerable 
sum of money with you ; I have now to direct, that 
you will instantly deliver up to me, all money and 
documents, with which you are charged, by the Go- 
vernment.'" Sir John said he had no money belonging 
to Government, and that his Excellency had already 
received all the documents, which- he had had in his 
possession. The Admiral required him to pledge his 
honour that this statement was correct, which Sir John 
did. Sir John was then asked, if Captain Crosbie had 
any Government money ? Sir John replied, not to his 
knowledge, the Intendant of Marine (Captain Bres- 
sane Lieto), being the officer charged with all the pecu- 
niary arrangements for the payments of the officers, 
and men of the squadron. The Admiral then asked, 
what amount of money he had brought with him ? 
Sir John said, he did not exactly know the amount ; 
he knew he had received some specie from the (Govern- 
ment, and bills on London, and Vigo, for the purpose, 
The Admiral then ordered a boat to be instantly sent 



MISSION TO THE SQUADRON, 207 



on board the St. Bernardo, with orders, to Captain 
Bressane Lieto to repair instantly on board the flag 
ship, and bring with him all the money and docu- 
ments he had, relative to his mission ; and at the same 
time armed boats were sent, with marines, to take 
possession of the St. Bernardo. The boat returned 
with Captain Bressane Lieto's compliments to the 
Admiral, he could not consistently, with the orders he 
had received from his Government, give up the money, 
as his instructions directed him to settle the accounts 
of the squadron, and pay the men and officers, only 
on the condition of the Admiral handing over the 
temporary command of the squadron to Captain Cros- 
bie. The Admiral ordered the officer to return forth- 
with, and to desire Captain Bressane Lieto to come 
on board immediately ; and, in case of his refusing, to 
compel him by force to do so ; at the same time to 
search the vessel strictly, and bring away all the money, 
and documents, which he might find. The boat soon 
returned, with Captian Bressane Lieto, two bags con- 
taining specie, and several public and private letters. 
The moment he got on board the flag ship, the 



208 



SIR JOHN MILLEY DOYLe's 



Admiral desired him to pledge his honour, he had 
brought all the money, papers, bills, and documents, 
that were on board. Captain Bressane Lieto protested 
against the illegal and insubordinate conduct of the 
Admiral, on this occasion ; and begged to assure him, 
he was not authorised to give his Excellency any 
money, bills, papers, or documents, entrusted to his 
charge, or to pay the men, and officers of the squad- 
ron, until the orders of the Government were carried 
into effect, which were, that the command was to be 
given to Captain Crosbie, and the Vice- Admiral was 
to proceed to Oporto. The Admiral then asked him 
where the bills were ? He said he had them in his 
pocket, directed to Senhor Falcoa, a merchant at Vigo. 
The Admiral then demanded the letters. Captain 
Bressane Lieto reminded the Admiral, that the letters 
were sealed, and directed to a private individual, and 
warned him as to the consequences that might ensue 
from the opening of them. The Admiral replied, that 
is not your affair, and desired him to deliver the 
letters forthwith, which he did. 

Admiral Sertorius, in presence of his secretary, and 



MISSION TO THE SQUADROX. 



209 



Captain Goblet, opened the letters, read them, and, 
having counted the bills, said, " There is not half 
money enough to satisfy the demands of the squadron ; 
surely, Sir, you must have more than this, or some 
other bills. " Captain Bressane Lieto, replied, " That 
nothing but force would have induced him to disobey 
the orders of the Government ; and that, as the Ad- 
miral had taken all power out of his hands, prevented 
him from communicating with his mercantile friends at 
Vigo, and put it out of his power to carry the orders 
of the Government into effect, the Admiral alone 
must be responsible." The Admiral then desired him 
to have letters ready by nine o'clock the next morning, 
for Senhor Falcoa and his other mercantile friends at 
Vigo, to facilitate the payment of the squadron. 
Captain Bressane Lieto, answered, " He would do no 
such thing, as, from the treatment his colleague and 
himself had met with, he considered his mission at an 
end; " and he concluded, by telling the Admiral that he 
had taken an awful responsibility on himself. The 
Admiral then informed Captain Bressane Lieto, that 
he should detain him as an hostage ; but eventually 



210 



SIR JOHN MILLEY BOYLE^S 



allowed him, and Sir John Boylej to return on board 
the St. Bernardo, with strict orders to the lieute- 
nant in command of the boat, manned, and armed, to 
keep them in close arrest, and allow them no commu- 
nication whatever with any one* The Admiral kept 
the money and bills, and gave a receipt to Captain 
Bressane Lieto for them. 

Sir John addressed a letter to the Admiral from 
the St. Bernardo, repeating the protest, which he had 
made verbally, against his conduct, and the reason 
of his submitting to it, contre la force, point de 
resistance. The two following orders were issued by 
the AdmiraL 

Her Most Faithful Majesty^ Ship Rainha da Portugal) 
Barjonna Islands) March 23, 1838. 

By order of His Excellency the Vice- Admiral, you are 
directed to allow Captain George free ingress and egress on board 
the vessel under your command, and also to permit Mr. Mendazable 
to speak with Sir John Milley Doyle. 

By order of the Vice-Admiral, 
E. BOID, 
Captain and Chief de l'Etat-Major. 

To Lieutenant CtfLLitf, 
Schooner St. Bernardo, 



MISSION TO THE SQUADRON, 



211 



Same date as above. 

By order of His Excellency the Vice- Admiral, I am directed 
to say, that Mr. Mendazable is permitted to confer with Sir John 
Milley Doyle, and that Captain Bressane Lieto is at liberty to 
accompany Mr. Mendazable to Oporto, if he pleases. 

By order of the Vice-Admiral, 
E. BOID, 
Captain and Chief de l'Etat Major, 

Sir John wrote to the Ministers, informing them of 
what had occurred, of his own and Captain Crosbies 
imprisonment, and of the latter having been ordered 
to prepare for an immediate court-martiah On the 
25th, a letter having been addressed to Sir John by 
Sir Fleming Senhouse, commanding His Majesty 1 s 
ship St. Vincent, the Admiral required Sir John to 
pledge his word that the letter contained nothing 
except of a private nature, in consequence of which 
the following notes passed between Sir John and 
the Admiral* 

St. Bernardo, March 25, 1833. Vigo. 

Sir, 

The letter which you sent me this afternoon from Sir 
Flemin Senhouse (noted private), I beg leave to inform you, I have 
not the honour, to the best of my recollection, of being personally 
acquainted with that officer ; therefore, although a prisoner, I not 



s 



212 SIR JOHN MILLEY DOYLe's 

only request, but demand, that letter to be sent to me without further 
delay ; it being quite inconsistent for you, or any other person, to 
detain my private letter, or letters ; and more particularly from a 
senior officer of one of His Britannic Majesty's squadrons. 
I have the honour to be, Sir, 

Your obedient humble servant, 
J. M. DOYLE, 
Major-General and Aide- de-Camp to His Imperial 
Majesty, the Duke of Braganza. 

To His Excellency, 
Vice Admiral Sertorius. 



Rainha da Portugal, Vigo, March 25, 1833. 

Sir, 

I sent you the letter in question, with the observation, you 
might receive as many letters as you pleased, and return as many 
answers as you please, contenting myself with your word, that they 
should not be of a public or political subject, but merely of a private 
nature. You returned the letter, saying you were not acquainted 
with Captain Senhouse, and would not pledge your word to anything. 
I think the soreness of being a prisoner, ought to be a little allayed 
by the reflection, that the intended favour had fallen on the wrong 
head ; but I trust the world will agree upon the merited one. I shall 
return the letter to Captain Senhouse. And beg to add, in conclusion, 
that I do not admit the competency of any stranger to interfere with 
the subjection of Her Most Faithful Majesty's squadron under my 
command. 

I have the honour to remain, 

Your obedient servant, 

R. G. SERTORIUS, 
Vice- Admiral and Commander-in-Chief. 

To General Sir J. M. Doyle, 
&c. &c. 



MISSION TO THE SQUADRON. 213. 

On the 4th of April, the Admiral issued the sub- 
joined order : — 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's ship, Rainlia da Portugal, 
Bayonna Roads, Aprils, 1883. 

It is Admiral Sertorius's directions, that you allow no com- 
munication whatever between Sir John Milley Doyle, and any boat, 
or vessel, without the same being submitted to the Commander-in- 
Chief, for his permission. 

F. GEORGE, 
Captain of the Fleet. 

To Captain Pexlerich, 
London Merchant (Steamer.) 

In the mean time the Admiral had induced the 
officers to sign the following resolutions : — 

4 6 The late conduct of the ministers, at present, 
unfortunately, conducting the affairs of Her Most 
Faithful Majesty, having shown (in spite of all our 
sacrifices and sufferings) a constant neglect, and 
positive refusal, to comply with the just claims of the 
auxiliary forces, naval and military, engaged under 
compact made with Vice-Admiral Sertorius ; and by 
such conduct, so dishonourable, disloyal, and insulting, 
as must prevent the Vice- Admiral and his companions 



214 



SIR JOHN MILLEY DOYLE's 



having any further reliance on their word, good faith, 
or honour ; in consequence, the principal officers of 
the squadron, acting in the name, and for the interest, 
of the rest of the squadron, have come to the following 
resolutions, visa, — That they are ready to enter upon 
active service, on the following conditions : — 

" First— That ^.20,000 shall be immediately 
advanced, to pay the wages and claims of the 
squadron up to March 31st. 

"Second, — That the ships of war, by a public decree, 
be made over to the officers, seamen, and marines, 
acting under the compact, as a guarantee for the 
future payment of growing wages and allowances, and 
to provide against any claims that may arise for 
unpaid bills, drawn for the public service. 

" Thirds — That the payment of pensions for the 
wounded, and for the families of the killed, be put on 
a sure and satisfactory foundation. 

" Fourth^ — That, if the Admiral shall quit the ser- 
vice of Her Most Faithful Majesty, all those officers 
who wish to do the same, may have full permission of 



MISSION TO THE SQUADRON. 



215 



the Government, acting in the name of the Queen, to 
do so." 

(signed) 

Captains Goblet, Blackiston, and George. 
Commanders Massey, and Wilson. 
Lieutenants Ludlow, Liot, Robinson, & Fox. 
Surgeons Birmingham, Fraser, Acheson, 

Gill, Bell, and a Portuguese. 
Commissaries Beaumond, Robertson, Fisher, 

and Benson ; 
and many others. 

Additional Resolution^ proposed by Captain 
Massey, and adopted. 

" That the undersigned, in the name of the officers, 
marines, and crews, of the whole squadron, having 
entered into a determination, not to desert their 
Commander-in-Chief, after the just claims of the 
officers and men are liquidated, require, that he shall 
be indemnified in a pecuniary way, for the commission 
he so nobly risked, for the cause of Portugal, and the 



216 



ARTICLES OF CONTRACT. 



legitimate Queen Donna Maria, and which he has 
since been deprived of by his own Government." 

I know there are some persons who can hardly 
believe it possible, that the Admiral could have been 
guilty of that overweening insolence, both of language 
and demeanour, of which I have so often, in the course 
of this narrative, been obliged to complain; but I 
trust this, Sir John's own account of the reception of 
an aide-de-camp of the Emperor, bearing a carta regia 
from the Emperor, to whom, as Regent, the Admiral 
had sworn allegiance, will convince the most sceptical, 
that I have not pourtrayed in exaggerated colours 
his habitual conduct towards myself. 

If the Admiral had been as right, as he evidently 
was wrong, in asserting that, according to the articles 
of contract* with the Chevalier de Lima, he was not 
bound to obey the Emperor's orders, until all the 
conditions of that contract were fulfilled; and, if it 
had been as true, as it was untrue, that the Government 



* Appendix, No. VII. 



CAPTAIN GOBLET. 



217 



was not ready to fulfil them all, still, it must be obvious 
to every one, that Sir John ought to have been 
received with the most punctilious respect, and that 
his imprisonment, if at all justifiable, ought not to have 
been aggravated by any discourtesy. But such is 
the force of habit ; the Admiral had so indulged in 
the practice of all that is at variance with gentlemanly 
feeling, towards me, the next in command to himself, 
that he could not refrain from the same impropriety 
towards one, to whom implicit obedience was due 
from him. 

To Sir John Milley Doyle's statement, I am 
enabled to add, from depositions, afterwards made at 
Oporto by many of the seamen, an account of the 
means by which the Admiral had prepared them 
to join him in mutiny, and of the falsehoods by which 
he endeavoured to mislead them, after he had made 
Sir John, and Captain Bressane Lieto prisoners, and 
had seized the funds which they had brought with 
them, to pay the arrears of wages. 

w In the early part of March, a suggestion was 
X* 



218 



CONDUCT OF 



made by Captain Goblet, of the Dom Pedro, respecting 
the minds of the ship's company, who had drawn up a 
series of resolutions respecting the Admiral, who had 
promised, that when the money could not be got to 
pay us, he had a guarantee from the Emperor, that 
the ships were our own property, with which we were 
perfectly satisfied ; he requested us, at the same time, 
not to allow the flag of any other officer to be hoisted 
on board of our ship ; if we did, we might rest 
assured we should never receive a farthing of what 
was due to us ; but, if we would adhere to him, and 
the Admiral, they would do the same by us ; telling 1 us 
that neither the Admiral himself, or any other officer, 
would receive a farthing of pay, until the whole of the 
squadron were perfectly satisfied. 

" To the best of our recollection, the Steam Boat 
was immediately sent to Oporto, with a demand for 
money to pay us, two or three times; when our 
Captain came on board, and informed us that the 
Admiral had desired him to turn the hands up, and 
inform us, that the Emperor did not acknowledge us 
as his fleet, and that he considered us as no better 



THE ADMIRAL. 219 

than a set of piratical rebels, and that he would send 
us neither money nor provisions. In the interim, 
General Doyle and Captain Crosbie arrived in the 
St. Bernardo, neither of ic horn ice ever saw, or heard 
the purport of their visit. When the Admiral came 
on board, the following day (Sunday), he informed 
the ship's company that they had merely arrived, to 
make him a prisoner, but had not brought the thing 
ice wanted, money; and that the General had met with 
a Scotch prize, for, instead of he (the Admiral) being- 
made a prisoner, he had made the General one, with 
Captain Crosbie, and would send them to England, if 
he thought proper ; and that he would send the London 
Merchant (steamer) to Oporto, to lay there forty-eight 
hours ; and if the money was not sent, he (Admiral 
Sertorius) would weigh anchor, and proceed tothenorth- 
ward,or any place we might think best, for the advantage 
of the whole ; as himself, and Captain Goblet, and all 
the officers in the squadron, intended not to serve any 
longer in such a jew's service, as they had come to 
fight the cause of Donna Maria, not the cause of 
the present ministry, or Dom Pedro ; who, the 



220 



CONDUCT OF 



Admiral informed us, was fighting to place the crown 
on his (Dom Pedro's) head, and the ministry to enrich 
themselves, by our labour : and it was the intention 
of the officers of the squadron to oust the whole of 
them out, if possible, and then they would continue 
in the service, and not till then. And in a series of 
resolutions signed by the officers, wishing to remunerate 
the Admiral, for the great sacrifice he had made in 
the cause, by resigning his commission, seven months' 1 
pay, and £A50 in the cause, none of which he would 
ever look for, until every man was paid. Captain 
Goblet informed us, the Villa Flor (brig) had been 
requested to go off Oporto once more, but had refused, 
without the squadron, and asked us, if we had any 
objection to go. The ship's company, through the 
petty officers, immediately asked Captain Goblet, whe- 
ther any blame was attached to us, by their refusing ; 
the answer was, none whatever. In two or three days 
after, the signal was made to weigh, and we im- 
mediately hove short, and prepared, and remained in 
that way two hours, for the other ships. We were to 
proceed to Oporto, exchange signals, and if not 



4 



THE ADMIRAL. 



221 



immediately answered, to proceed to Lisbon, sweep 
the coast, take all the prizes we could, and then bear 
up for Flushing, which the Admiral recommended, 
but asked our opinion, as to which would be the best 
place to dispose of the fleet ; he thought best to go to 
Flushing, as the money was ready there to pay us, 
and he had had the advice of an eminent lawyer." 

Such were the plans of the Admiral, and such the 
inducements by which he tried to excite the seamen to 
the commission of these crimes. 

Among the signatures to the resolutions I have 
previously given, are the names of honourable, but 
misled men, whom the Admiral had craftily induced 
to believe, that that highly improper proceeding on 
their part was necessary to enforce the fulfilment of 
the engagements, which the agents of Her Most 
Faithful Majesty had entered into with them, and 
which he (with Sir John's instructions in his pocket, 
and the funds of which he had plundered him in 
his possession !) still represented the Government to 
be desirous of evading. They, however, by their 
subsequent conduct, have redeemed their error, and 



ADDKESS OF 



may now, perhaps, reasonably demand, that their 
offence should not be remembered to their disadvan- 
tage. But the Admiral had already signed his own 
condemnation. 

" The question now is, not respecting a few weeks 
more or less of continuance in the service, or, as to 
the quantity of wages due; but whether we, as 
Englishmen, will basely desert a cause of humanity, 
and leave a large flourishing city to be reduced to 
ashes, and tamely permit a population of 200,000 
men, women, and children, to be massacred and 
annihilated by a brutal, blood-thirsty soldiery, which 
Dom Miguel, the most atrocious of tyrants, has 
solemnly vowed shall be their fate, if he can succeed 
in taking Oporto. No ! I am sure every seaman under 
my command, possessing the common feelings of a 
man, will exclaim with me, it shall not be so."" 

This is from an address, which he circulated among 
the seamen, on the 5th of the preceding December, 
when they were discontented with him, and wished to 
leave the service, because they were not paid. But 
now, when he has succeeded in rendering, for a time, 
the Government, instead of himself, the object of their 



THE ADMIRAL. 



223 



aversion, while the money to pay them is actually 
on board, he is desirous of rendering them sub- 
servient to the accomplishment of his own purposes — 
now, when the question with him is no longer the 
arrears of their pay, but the gratification of his own 
ambition, or of his revenge on those who have disap- 
pointed it, even " the common feelings of a man" are 
forgotten ; Oporto, and her 200,000 inhabitants, men, 
women, and children, are to be abandoned, without 
remorse, to the brutal and blood-thirsty soldiery of 
the most atrocious of tyrants ; the cause of constitu- 
tional liberty may be buried in the ruins of Oporto, 
while the coast of Portugal is swept, and the pirate 
Admiral carries off the ships and his booty for sale in 
another land. What sophistry can palliate these 
crimes ? With what unction can he salve a conscience 
accusing him of treason, and a violated faith ? 

The Government had for a long time felt the inef- 
ficiency of the Admiral. Not only had he neglected 
to capture the enemy's squadron, when it was in his 
power, but he had subsequently permitted ammunition 
to be constantly landed in sight of the Foz Castle; 
and thus had as effectually assisted the Miguelites as 



224 



CONDUCT OF 



if he had entered into that compact with them, which 
the Spaniards, disinterested spectators of his pro- 
ceedings, had imputed to him, though, perhaps, the 
extent of his criminality was the endeavouring, in 
pursuance of that system, to which the secretary in- 
vited me to become a party*, to enhance the value of 
the services of the squadron, by letting the Emperor 
see how much mischief might arise from the with- 
holding its active co-operation — a supposition which 
his private demands on the Government confirm. 
He refused to retire from the command of the ships 
without further loss of credit to himself, by giving 
his exclusive attention to the duties of the Major- 
General's office on shore, and wanted to be made Com- 
mander-in-Chief of the army, as well as the navy, and 
Viceroy of the Azores; and the Government were 
thus at length driven to adopt the measure of sending 
Sir John Milley Doyle with authority to supersede 
him, as the only alternative, the only remaining hope 
of obtaining that aid from the squadron, without 
which they could not maintain their ground much 



* See his Letter, page 49. 



THE ADMIRAL. 



225 



longer. But, in the total disregard of all honourable 
principles, and insensibility to every moral obligation, 
he spurned allegiance to, and reviled the sovereign of 
his own selection, called his ministers " a set of faith- 
less scoundrels," outraged his aide-de-camp, seized the 
money, corrupted the seamen, and imposed upon the 
officers ; all in accordance with the rules and regula- 
tions of the British navy ! ! ! The Miguelite fleet was 
nearly ready for sea, in greater force than ever. In 
this dilemma what could the Government do ? There 
were volunteers in Oporto, who, in the first burst of 
indignation, would have attempted, in any vessel, to 
seize the Admiral, and bring him to justice; and the 
subsequent mutiny of the crew of the Dom Pedro 
against him, because he had broken all the promises 
by which he had prevailed on them to mutiny with 
him, would induce a belief, that such a bold measure 
would have succeeded. But he might have run away. 
The Government, therefore, yielded to circumstances. 
" Circumstances," says the secretary, " rendered it 
imperative that these worthies, the then advisers of 
Dom Pedro, than whom a more vile, degraded, dis- 
l 5 



226 



THE ADMIRAL RESIGNS. 



honest set of traitors, never entered the precincts of 
civilized society, should conciliate with Sertorius. r ' 
To this tirade of the Secretary's, and the Admiral's 
appellation, of " faithless scoundrels," it seems not 
out of place to annex the names of the Emperor's then 
advisers, Senhors Xavier, Freire, Bernardo de Sa, 
Silva Cavalho, Magalanes, and the Marquis of 
Louie. To " circumstances," however, they yielded ; 
and the result has justified the wisdom of their 
decision. Sertorius was admitted to a parley; whether 
it was that his lofty daring began to fail him — whether 
he began to suspect that the British squadron were 
not to be idle spectators of " all his gallant exploits ; " 
and that the British Government might deem it neces- 
sary, in order to protect British lives and property, to 
seize ships of war that had no longer a title to bear 
the flag of any sovereign, either de jure or de facto ; 
or, that it had been hinted to him that Flushing 
might not prove a port of safety after a piratical 
cruize; whether any, or all of these combined, or 
what other reasons, induced him to yield, I leave for 
him to explain ; but by some means he was prevailed 



ARRIVAL OF CAPTAIN NAPIER. 227 

on to agree, that, as soon as an arrangement could be 
made respecting his successor, he should be relieved, 
on account of ill health, provided he was first re-ga- 
zetted as Admiral ; and accordingly the Gazette of the 
5th of May restored him to as much honour as he was 
capable of deriving from the " circumstances" which 
extorted that publication. 

On the 1st of June, four steamers arrived with 
troops, the Duke of Palmella, and Captain Napier, 
whose appointment, happily for the cause of Consti- 
tutional liberty in Portugal, was forthwith announced ; 
while Sertorius kept his promise of submitting his 
pulse to the examination of a surgeon, and, under 
medical advice, retired from his too arduous duties. 

Never did man enter on a naval career, from which 
more honour might have been reaped ; . all Europe 
was watching with intense anxiety the result of the 
daring enterprise ; the friends of liberal institutions 
trembling for the result ; and the enemies of liberty 
scoffing at the apparent inadequacy of the armament, 
and enjoying, in anticipation, its defeat. To have 
fought and failed, would have hardly been a dis- 



228 



THE ADMIRAL AND 



grace ; to have conquered, has immortalised the name 
of Napier ; while the sick and wounded Sertorius 
steamed his way to France, 

With not one glory sparkling in his eyes, 
One triumph on his tongue. 

In February*, 1832, he called " upon his country- 
men to assist him, heart and hand, in the noblest 
cause that a Briton can be employed upon, next to 
fighting for his own king and country, to aid a 
gallant and generous prince, in his noble views, to 
place an injured princess upon her throne; to clear 
the prisons of more than six thousand innocent men, 
whose only crimes were an honest performance of 
their duty, and keeping their oaths ; to prove that 
British hearts and British hands had not been ap- 
pealed to in vain; to relieve the persecuted, and 
clear the dungeons of their innocent victims." On 
the 5th of December-)*, he admitted that they had 
faithfully served the cause ; yet, in the following 
June, the most gallant exploit he can boast, is having 



* Appendix, No. III. 



f Appendix, No. LV. 



SIR JOHN MILLEY DOYLE. 



229 



heaped insults on one, whom he tauntingly claimed 
the privilege of insulting, because he had formerly 
assisted in accelerating his deliverance from a prison, 
to which his honour and good faith had consigned 
him. But that I may not be accused of unfairness, 1 
will give the correspondence, although it has already, 
I believe, been before the public, in which he, and 
Sir John Milley Doyle, took leave of each other on 
the eve of his departure. 

COPY OF SIR JOHN DOYLE's LETTER. 
To Admiral Sertorius. 

The Aide-de-Camp of His Imperial Majesty the Duke 
of Braganza, Regent of Portugal, the Major-General Sir John Milley 
Doyle, presents his compliments to His Excellency Vice-Admiral 
Sertorius ; having only this moment heard the Vice-Admiral does 
not mean to honour with his presence the city of Oporto, intending 
forthwith to proceed to France, Sir John Milley Doyle has only 
this mode left of paying his respects to the Vice-Admiral. From 
the excited state in which Admiral Sertorius was, during Sir John's 
sojourn at Vigo, perhaps His Excellency may not recollect the 
circumstance that passed on that occasion ; indeed, from the well- 
known politeness, and gentlemanly habits of Admiral Sertorius, it 
is impossible he could recollect the mode, manner, and tone, in which 
he treated Sir John Doyle on his reception, and during his sojourn 
as a close prisoner, by His Excellency's illegal orders, while at Vigo. 
Sir John Milley Doyle feels confident, that the moment the Vice- 
Admiral is reminded of the circumstance, his own gentlemanly feel- 
ings will dictate to His Excellency the spontaneous and absolute 



230 



THE ADMIRAL. AND 



necessity, of his own accord, to offer those palliatives to the wounded 
feelings of Sir John, which one gentleman is entitled to, and 
always sure of, from another, for the personal insults, and de- 
grading treatment Sir John Milley Doyle received in his private, 
as well as public capacity, from Vice-Admiral Sertorius on that 
occasion. Sir John Milley Doyle will be happy to hear of the 
perfect re- establishment of the health of Vice-Admiral Sertorius, 
and will be equally happy in being able to assure His Excellency 
of his respect and consi Jeration. 

Oporto, 13th of June, 1833. 



THE ADMIRAL^ ANSWER. 

June IQth, 1833. 

Vice-Admiral Sertorius informs Sir John Milley Doyle, that bis 
reception of Sir John at Vigo, when sent in execution of a com- 
mission which the Vice-Admiral has always felt as unjust, illegal, 
and impolitic, was such, as he most certainly ought to have calculated 
upon — the arrester became the arrested. The Vice-Admiral leaves 
to the private feelings of Sir John to decide, whether it was delicate 
to charge himself gratuitously (for most certainly he could not be 
compelled to it) with so ungracious an affair, bearing upon the 
liberty and honour of that same Captain Sertorius, to whose exertions 
and visits in prison, seconded by the aid of the Consul General, was 
mainly owing the liberation from the imprisonment in secret, and 
ultimate entire liberty of Sir John at Lisbon. If, however, any of 
the brother officers of the Vice-Admiral are of an opinion, that 
his conduct was not entirely of a public nature, or that his language, 
or manner, was not such as was becoming a gentleman, in the 
execution of a disagreeable public duty, the Vice-Admiral will be 
happy to meet Sir John at any time and place he may appoint, 
upon their meeting abroad or at home. 

To Sir John Milley Doyle. 



SIR JOHN MILLEY DOYLE. 



231 



sir John's reply, 

Imperial Palace, Porto, 
10 a.m. 17 th June, 1833. 

Sir, 

Having addressed you a note, dated the 1 3th instant, to 
which I have this moment been HONOURED ! ! ! with a REPLY ! ! ! 
it now becomes an imperative, but painful duty, on my part, to 
request Your Excellency will do me the favour to conceive that you 
have been horsewhipped by Major- General Sir John Milley Doyle, 
K.C.B. and K.T.S., who laments that your unaccountable and un- 
warrantable conduct, should oblige him to adopt this as the only step 
your intended flight from the scene of your gallant exploits has 
left open. But, should Your Excellency, on more mature reflection, 
revoke your intention of proceeding forthwith to France, then I shall 
be most happy to receive you at the Foz, whenever you are pleased 
to appoint ; and to assure Your Excelleney, that every attention, 
and requisite accommodation, will be provided for you, during the 
short period your residence may be necessary on this occasion in 
Portugal. The undersigned regrets your extraordinary mode of 
acting, precludes him the possibility of having the honour of 
subscribing himself, with consideration and respect, 

Your Excellency's humble Servant, 
J. M. DOYLE, 
Major-General, and Aide-de-Camp. 

To His Excellency Vice- Admiral Sertorius. 

Three weeks had barely elapsed, ere the Miguelite 
fleet, refitted and reinforced, again put to sea, and 
encountered the constitutional squadron, now under 
the command of Napier. On this occasion, there 
was no putting about, because " the larboard shrouds 



232 



NAPIER S VICTORY. 



had suffered," though the sails and rigging were 
much cut up; neither did Napier want to com- 
municate with Oporto, except to forward the intel- 
ligence of all the enemy's ships having been taken; 
and then, his dispatch did not boast of a determi- 
nation to compel them to a general engagement, 
" notwithstanding their great superiority of force ;" 
and yet, it was much stronger (as the annexed com- 
parison will prove) than on that memorable day, 
when Sertorius did not capture, burn, sink, or destroy 
a single sail. 



NAPIER S VICTORY, 

5th of July, 1833. 



CONSTITUTIONAL SQUADRON. 

Guns. 

Dom Pedro 52 

Ilainha da Portugal 46 

Donna Maria Segunda. ... 42 

Portuense 20 

Villa Flor 16 

Schooner 

176 

Superiority of the Enemy 178 

354 



MIGUELITE SQUADRON. 

Guns. 

Dom John 76 

Rainha 80 

Princesa Reale 52 

Martin de Freita 48 

Cyhelle (Corvette) 26 

Princesa (Ditto) 24 

Brig 16 

Ditto 16 

Ditto 16 

Zebecque 

354 



Napier's victory. 



233 



SERTORIUS's ENGAGEMENT) 

11th of October, 1832. 



CONSTITUTIONAL SQUADRON. 

Guns. 



Rainha da Portugal 46 

Donna Maria Segunda 42 

Portuense 20 

Villa Flor 16 

Twenty- third of July 18 

Regencia 18 

Constitution 13 

Mindella 13 

186 

Superiority of the Enemy 28 



214 



MIGUELITE SQUADRON. 

Guns. 



Dom John 76 

Princesa Reale 52 

Cybelle 26 

Maria Isabella 24 

Tagus 18 

Brig 18 



214 



But while I cannot without shame call to mind 
our disgraceful and inexcusable flight on that day, 
I am bound to confess, that I, — had I been Com- 
mander on the 5th of July, should not have pre- 
sumed to plan that bold manoeuvre, the execution 
of which, under Napier's direction, was crowned with 
such splendid success; and I may be permitted, I 
hope, without the imputation of envy, to say, that 



234 



:napier\s victory. 



my admiration of his conduct is not unmixed with 
a feeling of regret, that intrigues prevented me fight- 
ing by his side, and being a partaker in his victory. 
Had I served under such a commander, I should 
not have needed to blot one sheet of paper, to rebut 
the charges of incapacity, or repel the insinuations 
of malice. The noble, the generous, and brave, are 
not prone to become accusers, and never malign ; 
and most gladly would I have left it to the his- 
torian, to apportion to Sertorius his due meed of 
praise or censure, if the imperative necessity of de- 
fending my own reputation, had not compelled me 
to expose him : but he and his secretary have as- 
sailed me, from the cradle to the school with the 
severest reproaches, and from the cockpit to the quar- 
ter deck with the most atrocious calumnies ; while 
the greatest offence they could have received at my 
hands, was, the not complying with their request, 
to gull the Emperor, to which cause, they perhaps 
attribute their disappointment, in not being made, 
the one Viceroy of the Azores, and the other Cham- 
berlain to the Viceroy, for the " peculiar duties" 



THE ADMIRAL^ LETTER. 



235 



of which situation, he might have thought himself 
qualified. 

I was now most anxious to leave Oporto ; my 
first object being to call the late Admiral to a per- 
sonal account for the many insults offered to me, and 
the innumerable slanders propagated about me; the 
next, to recover my property and papers, which he 
had so wantonly seized, that I might arrange and 
settle my accounts. I therefore, accompanied by 
Sir John Milley Doyle to interpret for me, as I 
could not speak Portuguese, w r aited on the Mar- 
quess of Louie, the Minister of Marine, to ask for 
leave of absence. He told me I might go as soon 
as I had answered a letter which Sertorius had ad- 
dressed to him respecting me, and I begged him to 
let me have it as soon as possible, as the vessel by 
which I intended to return to England was about to 
sail. No time was lost in sending it to me ; I received 
it on the 20th of June, replied to it on the 21st, 
and went on board on the 23rd. I subjoin both 
Sertorius's letter, and my answer, 



236 



THE ADMIRAL^ LETTER. 



Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Rainlia da Portugal, 
Oporto Roads, 7th June, 1833. 

Sir, 

Several seamen belonging to the Donna Maria, having 
entrusted Captain Mins with various sums of money, and he also 
having received pay due to them, giving a receipt to the Com- 
missary-General for the same, and subsequently leaving the squadron, 
and acting contrary to the usual custom (which is, that when a 
Captain leaves a vessel on being superseded, he transfers all monies 
not strictly private to his successor), has taken away with him the 
money alluded to, and other large sums of public money ; and as 
the men are now applying to me to have it restored to them, I 
beg Your Excellency will inform me what steps I am to take to 
refund the different sums in question to the respective claimants. 

I have the honour to be, Sir, 

Your Excellency's obedient Servant, 
R. G. SERTORIUS, 
Vice- Admiral and Major-General of 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Navy. 

To His Excellency the Marquis de Loule, 
Minister of Marine. 



Oporto, June 21st, 1833. 

Your Excellency, 

I have the honour to acknowledge tbe 
receipt of your letter, enclosing a copy of one from Admiral Sertorius. 
The dishonourable and unprincipled conduct of that officer towards 
me, rouses justly my indignation ; for he knows well, that I was 



CAPTAIN MIXs's REPLY. 



237 



unable to settle my accounts with the seamen, &c. (which he 
forced me to have with them), in consequence of insisting on my 
leaving my ship in three hours; nor could I hand anything over to my 
sucessor, as he was ordered not to join, until I left. Thus has he 
acted on this, and many other occasions, contrary to the usual customs. 
I took all accounts out of the ship with me, and intended arranging 
them in the steamer ; but he, in a most unwarrantable manner, seized 
them from her, thus leaving me without the power of doing so ; and 
now he wishes to make it appear, it was caused by myself alone. All 
accounts I have, I am most anxious to settle ; but without my papers 
1 am unable ; I shall therefore, the moment I am in England, do so. 
I quite regret your Excellency should not have answered the letter of 
the Vice- Admiral, for you cannot have forgotten the circumstance of 
my property having been taken by him, and a great part lost, and 
the many applications I have made to Your Excellency, all un- 
noticed. I must therefore demand, in justice to my honour, which 
the Vice-Admiral dares to attempt to trample on, every facility is 
granted me to put them to rights, which I pledge myself shall be done 
in a public and clear way. 

I have the honour to be, 

Your Excellency's obedient servant, 
P. MINS. 

To His Excellency the Minister of Marine. 

Here were four charges against me ; — 
That I had taken with me money belonging to the 

seamen, with which they had entrusted me : 
That I had also taken with me, pay due to them, 
for which I had given receipts to the Com- 
missary-General : 



238 



CHARGES OF 



That, contrary to the usual custom, I had left my 
ship, without transferring to my successor all 
monies not strictly private : 
And, that I had also taken other large sums of 
public money. 
At the time the Admiral made these charges, and, at 
the time I replied to them, he had possession of all my 
accounts, and all the money, I could therefore only give 
the above general reply : but as soon as I recovered 
some of my property and papers, after my arrival 
in London, I made out, without delay, and forwarded 
to the Marquis of Louie, through the Chevalier de 
Lima, an account between the Portuguese Govern- 
ment and myself*, accompanying the account with 
a letter to the Minister of Marine f. 

With respect to the first of the charges in Ser- 
torius's letter, I reply, that it is a private account 
between the seamen and me, which, at his request, and 
against my own inclination, I entered into with them. 

When the men were first paid at Belle Isle, they 
wished to make remittances to England, and inquired 



Appendix, No. XXVII. f Appendix, No. XXVI. 



THE ADMIRAL. 



239 



how they could do so. The Admiral told them to 
leave as much as they wished to send home, and it 
should be paid to their friends in London ; to this 
they objected, saying, " They should not feel sure 
of their friends getting it." 1 The Admiral replied, 
" Then give it to your captain, and you shall have a 
bill from him ; when that is paid, you will have no 
claim on the money given to him with this arrange- 
ment they were satisfied. He then told me, to re- 
ceive the money of them, to give them a bill, signed 
by myself and the first lieutenant, and " you," he 
said, " will (when the bills are paid) be accountable 
for all you so receive, and I will, to-morrow, get all 
the officers to write their names, and forward the 
paper to London, that their signatures may be known 
to Carbonell V 

I could not make any objection to this proposal, 
though, I should have preferred drawing on my own 
agent, as his great liberality towards me, on all occa- 
sions, would have made me certain the bills would be 
regularly honoured ; while I did not know what 

* This paper is still in Carbonell's office; I saw it there lately. 



240 MESSRS. CARBONELL. 

arrangement the Government had made with Car- 
bonell, and it was not impossible that more might, for 
one purpose, or another, be drawn on them, than 
they might be authorised to meet. However, as the 
seamen's money would remain in my hands, this was 
immaterial, except that it gave me trouble and risk in 
keeping the dollars a long time instead of using them. 
When I arrived in London, T called on Messrs. Car- 
bonell, to arrange my accounts with them. I had not 
then recovered my papers ; but on their telling me, 
that they made a considerable balance due from me, I 
immediately wrote a cheque for the amount ; saying, 
that it was out of my power to ascertain its correctness, 
and therefore I would pay it, fully confiding in 
their integrity : upon which they observed, if that 
was the handsome manner in which I treated them, 
they must beg leave to re-examine their accounts. 
They did so, and detected an error, the balance 
against me proving to be only £4&. %s. Id.*; which 
I paid them in cash, and destroyed the cheque for the 
larger amount, which I had previously written. They 

* Appendix, No. LV. 



seaman's letter. 



241 



then returned the bills which I had drawn on them, 
at the foot of the seamen's letters, copies of two of 
which I annex. One signed by my first-lieutenant 
and myself, for a seaman, and another by the captain 
of marines and myself, for a marine : — 

COPY OF A SEAMAN'S LETTER, SHOWING THE WAY 
MONEY WAS TRANSMITTED HOME. 

Dear Wife, 

I send you these few lines to inform you that I am hearty 
and well at present. Give my love to mother, and all the children. 
I expect to be home in two months. 

I remain your's, 

B. Peterson. 

I have sent you a trifle of money, £ 7 3s. 

Ship Donna Maria, 
St. Michael, June 2Sth, 1832. 

Call at Messrs. Remon and Carbonel, No. 5, Freeman's-court, 
London, for £7 3s., which they will pay. 

(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain. 
R. M. ROBINSON, 

First- Lieutenant. 

Received of Mr. A. de Ramon de Carbonel, the sum of seven 
pounds three, by order and account of B. Peterson, a man of the 
Ship Donna Maria. 

London, July 12th, 1832. (Signed) B. Peterson. 



M 



242 



seaman's letter. 



(copy.) 



Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria - 
Belle Isle, France, January 18th, 1832. 



Dear Betsy, 



Enclosed I send you an order for two pounds sterling. 



which you will receive on producing this letter, as you will see by 
the order under. I have to say, I have had every indulgence by my 
officers, and am appointed, Sergeant, at £3. per month, rations and 
clothing. I have not time to say more at present, but my love to 
mother and Edward. 



Apply to Remon and Carbonel, No. 1, Fen-court, Fenchurch- 
street. 



Received of A. de Remon and Carbonel, two pounds, by order 
and account of the Sergeant, John Holmes, on board of the ship 
Donna Maria, London. 



And remain your's affectionately, 
John Holmes, 
Sergeant. 



£2 



P. MINS, 

Captain. 
ANDREW WILLIAMS, 

Captain Royal Marines. 



(Signed) 



E. J. Redmond. 



May 7th, 1832. 



At Belle Isle the men asked me also to keep some 
.other money for them : I refused, saying it was more 
than I would do if I were in the British navy. But 



seamen's money. 



243 



the Admiral said, " You must do it for them — I am 
doing it for my men/ 1 He has since denied that he 
authorised or requested me to take care of this money ; 
and certainly, if I had not objected to the trouble, 
neither authority nor request from him was necessary ; 
it was a strictly private account between me and the 
men, none of whom are likely to make any complaint 
against me now, though it is not impossible, that, at 
the time the Admiral was endeavouring to injure me 
in the estimation of the Minister of Marine, at Oporto, 
he might have managed to alarm some of the men by 
his tales and fictions. Let him, however, now bring 
forward any of them, whose money I had, or have, and 
see what he can make of his charge. 

It happens, that, on the 6th of August, some of 
these men, accompanied by others from the Rainha, 
and a few carpenters, whose assistance had been lent 
me for a fortnight, to help in stopping the shot-holes 
after the action, in all, about a hundred men, met me 
at my agent's, and presented to me a snuff-box, on 
which was engraved, " Presented to Captain Mins, 
by the petty officers and seamen of the Donna 



244 



ADDRESS FROM THE 



Maria;" together with the following address, written 
on parchment : — 

London, 6th August, 1833. 

Sir, 

The petty officers and seamen of the Donna Maria, 
lately under your command, being anxious to testify the high respect 
and regard they entertain for the honourable and upright conduct 
displayed to them upon all occasions, and to express their admiration 
of your exalted valour and courage; at the same time, they cannot 
omit most sincerely to thank you for your general urbanity of manners, 
and more especially for your kind and humane attention to the sick 
and wounded. They therefore most humbly request you will be 
pleased to condescend to accept the accompanying Snuff-box, as a 
small tribute of their united respects, with an assurance that they will 
at all times be found ready and willing to serve under so brave a 
captain at any time you may be in command. 

We beg to subscribe ourselves, Sir, 

With the greatest respect, 

Your most obedient 
To Captain Mins. And obliged Servants, 



Layler. 


Potter. 


Sweet. 


Lightness. 


Hughes. 


Mathews. 


Moss. 


Wallis. 


Turner. 


Parr. 


Buchet. 


Balfour. 


Constance. 


M'Callie, 


Bristow. 


Jones. 


Neilson. 


M'Dowell. 


Blandford. 


Lennet. 


Chambers. 


Flanagan. 


Johnson. 


Gladstone. 


Drysdale. 


Lawton. 


Durrant. 


Jones. 


Mason. 


Chapman. 


Griffith. 


Prendergrast. 


Leonard. 


Booth. 


Hughes. 


Tarrant. 



PETTY OFFICERS AND SEAMEN. 



245 



The Admiral, I hear, is as much vexed at my 
having received this token of respect and attachment 
from the men, as he was at the compliment the officers 
paid me, by manning the boat which rowed me to the 
steamer when I left my ship ; and therefore I have 
inserted it here, that he may overhaul it at his pleasure. 
Of one thing I am certain. If it does not make him 
ashamed of his accusation against me, respecting the 
men's money, it will make every one else scout it. As 
he has pretended that he did not know that I had been 
entrusted with their private money, I will remind him, 
that, on the 10th of October, as we were coming out 
of Vigo Bay with the enemy's squadron, he asked me 
if I had any money to pay the pilots, as he had none ; 
and that I replied, " Not a penny, Sir, except that 
which belongs to the men, and that I never like to 
touch and that he then said, " Lend me some of it; 
the Commissary-General shall give it you again to 
which I answered, " Very well, Sir ; but remember 
we are about to go into action, and either I or you 
may be killed ; therefore give me a receipt, to put into 
the bag ; and that he did give me the following : — 



246 



ARREAR OF 



Received from Captain P. Mins, the sum of eighty Spanish dollars, 
for the purpose of paying the pilots, being the ship's company's 
money. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS, 

Vice- Admiral and Commander-in-Chief. 

Her Majesty's Ship Donna Maria Segunda, 
10//* October, 1832. 

Whether his first charge, therefore, relates to the 
money that they gave me to keep for them, or to that 
for which I gave them bills on Messrs. Carbonell, it 
is answered. 

It was not till lately that I could obtain any clue 
to assist me in discovering on what foundation the 
Admiral's second charge rested ; but I believe I can 
now dispose of that misrepresentation. On the 17th 
of October, 1833, my agent informed me that James 
Balfour, a seaman, had called on him, to request I 
would certify that he had not been paid, as Messrs. 
Carbonell, or some one else, had promised that he 
should receive what was due to him on producing 
such a certificate from me, and at the same time he 
made the following statement : — 

" In October 1832, the Donna Maria's men were 
paid, at which time I, James Balfour, and eighteen 



seamen's pay. 



others, were in a gun-boat, but we belonged to the Villa 
de Pray a. In November, when we were in the Donna 
Maria, and going on shore on leave, Lieutenant 
Robinson gave each of us three dollars, and told us, 
after we came back, on board, that Captain Mins had 
received two months' pay for us, when the ship was 
paid ; and the pay list, which Captain Mins signed, 
has been shown to me, in the presence of Mr. Sandford, 
Captain Boid, and others." 

The Admiral had, on more than one occasion, 
immediately after my men had been paid, taken some 
of them from me, and sent me others, whose pay was 
in arrear. James Balfour is one who joined my ship 
under such circumstances. I therefore gave him the 
annexed certificate, which I think will satisfactorily 
prove that I had none of his pay: — 

(copy.) 

November 3, 1832. 

The Admiral requests you to receive a number of men 
from the Villa de Pray a, which will be sent to you. 

(Signed) E. BOID. 



To Captain Mins, Donna Maria. 



248 



seamen's pay. 



Amongst these men was James Balfour ; and the Donva Maria 
was paid in October, before they either joined, or were expected. 
It seems, therefore, very unlikely, that I ever had their pay, as 
they at that time did not belong to my ship. When at Vigo, the 
men went on shore on leave, all having again been paid except 
these men, of the Villa de Praya ; and to give them a run on shore, 
I advanced to each of them three dollars out of my private purse, 
which was paid to them by my first-lieutenant, Robinson, and was 
repaid me by the Commissary-General, for which 1 gave my receipt, at 
the same time, and on the same paper, with other sums which he paid 
me ; and, to prove that these men still remained without their pay, I 
will copy a letter out of my letter-book, written respecting it : — 

(copy.) 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Skip Donna Maria* 
December 20, 1832. 

Sir, 

I have to report there are, on board this ship, 20 men, who have not 
received any pay since they left St. Michael's, and who have re- 
peatedly asked me for it, and are discontented in consequence of not 
having it. 

I have the honour to be, 
Your Excellency's most obedient Servant, 

P. MINS, 

To His Excellency, Vice- Admiral Sertorius, Captain. 
Commander-in-Chief, Major-General, &c. 

James Balfour was one of these men, and the ship's books will 
prove this ; it is, therefore, quite impossible that I ever received his 
pay, or the pay of the men who j oined with him. 



SEAMEN S PAY. 



249 



I do therefore declare, that I, to the best of my knowledge and 
belief, have never received the pay of James Balfour, or those men 
who joined the Donna Maria at the same time with him ; and that, 
therefore, he and they are entitled to it from the Government. How- 
ever, should proofs be shown me, such as my receipt for it, &c. I will 
then pay them ; but this I am quite certain cannot be done, as I 
never gave any, never having had their pay. 

Given under my hand, this 14th October, 1833, in London, 
P. MINS, late Captain, 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria Segunda. 

To whosoever it may concern. 

My men were paid in October, James Balfour and 
the other eighteen joined me in November. In that 
month some of the men were again paid ; but is it 
possible, that if I had received the pay of any of them, 
and kept it, I should, on the 20th of December, have 
written to the Admiral, to call Ins attention to their 
complaints of their pay being in arrear ? My firm 
belief is, that the paper of my signing, which James 
Balfour says that he saw, was only an acknowledg- 
ment of the repayment to me of the sum I had 
advanced to them when I gave them a run on shore 
si 5 



250 



THE ADMIRAL^ CONDUCT. 



If however, I have inadvertently signed a receipt 
for money which was never given me, I am of course 
bound by it ; but until such a receipt is produced, 
it remains for the Admiral to substantiate his charge. 
In the consciousness of my own integrity, I thus 
let him know how I can meet it, and give him, 
and his secretary, an opportunity of remodelling 
it, instead of withholding my defence till they have 
produced something like evidence against me. 

The third charge I have before answered, and 
now answer again. He would not allow me to settle 
the ship's accounts with my successor, as he desired 
him not to come on board until I had left her. 

The fourth charge is so indefinite, that, before I 
can answer it, he must say what it means. In the 
interim, I declare that it is utterly false and malicious, 
and that he knows it to be both ; and I feel confident 
that he will find this plain contradiction so generally 
satisfactory, after his exposure on similar charges, 
that I shall hear no more of these "other large 
sums of public money;" and yet I should prefer 
meeting him in detail. 



LETTER TO CAPTAIN ROSE. 



251 



But these were not the only accusations with 
which, in the shape of rumours, I was beset ; and 
among them, was one which had, as I was informed 
by an officer who still remained with the consti- 
tutional squadron, been spread among my com- 
panions in arms, with the view of effectually damn- 
ing my character. I have before alluded to this 
one; but if the testimony of an honourable man 
is of any weight, the following letter from me to 
Captain Rose, and his reply, will effectually refute 
this charge, and show to what credit the authors 
of it are entitled. 

London, July 21th, 1833. 

My Dear Rose, 

From my late and valuable first-lieutenant, Robinson, 
J find it has been stated in the squadron, " That I assisted you 
in composing the defence you gave at your court-martial." As it 
is my intention, as soon as I can, to expose all and every falsehood 
that has been spread behind my back, with the charitable intention 
of injuring my character, I shall thank you, in answer to this, to 
state at length, how \ treated you after the letter you wrote me 
as president, complaining of the accommodation you had, and re- 
questing some more convenient place might be granted you ; for 
since I permitted you to come on board my ship, and use my fore- 



252 LETTER TO CAPTAIN ROSE. 



cabin, there may certainly appear some truth in the report, which 
requires your statement in full ; and I must confess, had I for one 
moment a thought that I was serving with such dishonourable 
men, I should not have permitted you on board my ship at all. 
I always (before the court-martial) thought the Admiral would have 
been pleased to see you have fair play, and would have rejoiced at 
finding his suppositions were erroneous. However, his very dif- 
ferent feelings expressed and acted up to since, make me a little 
anxious to show my friends all rny conduct, and particularly on 
that occasion, I shall also thank you to stated if you had ever 
duty at any time to perform with me, or any other member of the 
court ; or if we, or any of them, ever came in contact with you on 
duty ; for the Admiral's reprimand states he got his information 
from the majority, which caused him to make his third charge 
against you. 

I remain, 

Your's truly, 

P. MINS. 



London, \9th August, 1833. 

My Dear Mins, 

The contents of your letter of the 27th ultimo, would 
have caused me considerable surprise, if I had not already had 
sufficient experience of the malignity of some parties in the squadron 
of which you were recently second in command. 

You inform me that it has been stated, I received assistance 
from you in preparing the defence I made before the court-martial 
you presided at — an assertion so wanton and devoid of the least 
shadow of truth, would have passed unregarded by me, had you 
not requested a reply ; for could there have been the slightest truth 



CAPTAIN ROSENS REPLY. 



253 



in the statement, you would now stand before the public a perjurer, 
having broken the solemn oath you took on that occasion, to judge 
impartially on the evidence both for and against the prisoner. 

But what are the facts ? Immediately on the receipt of the notice 
of the court-martial, from you as president (which was only forty- 
eight hours previous to the trial), I represented to you by letter, 
that I had neither accommodation or privacy sufficient on board 
the Villa Flor, to prepare my defence, for a portion of the officers 
messed in the only cabin. You replied, by ordering me on board 
the Donna Maria, your own ship, and gave me the fore-cabin, which 
was used as an office ; here I made my defence, and both your 
clerk and my own were present the whole time. And I most 
solemnly assert, I never received the slightest assistance from you, 
beyond the courtesy already mentioned, for which I shall ever 
feel thankful ; on the contrary, your conduct on that occasion, was 
marked by extreme delicacy, in absenting yourself from the ship 
as much as possible, on purpose to avoid even the suspicion of such 
a malicious and scandalous report. 

With respect to the other part of your letter, relative to Admiral 
Sertorius's reprimand to the court, I have only to say it is of a 
piece with the charges he preferred against me, for Captain Bertrand 
was the only member of the court I ever came in contact with on 
duty ; but why were the reports mentioned by the Admiral not 
laid before the court ? for it cannot be supposed that an officer of his 
experience, and holding the high station he did, would have preferred 
charges before a court-martial, on mere verbal report. 

Hoping this will be sufficient to place the affair in its right light, 

Believe me to remain, faithfully, 
Your's, 

(Signed) G. P. ROSE. 



I had requested Major Brownson to apply to 



254 



CONDUCT OF 



Sertorius, as soon as his address was ascertained, 
demanding an apology or satisfaction for the insulting 
insinuations contained in his letter to the Minister of 
Marine (7th February, 1833*). The correspondence 
which ensued will be found in the Appendix^ ; and as 
I have already, when speaking of my trial J at Oporto, 
disposed of the greater part of the Admiral's reply, 
I shall here only call attention to two passages in it. 
He says, that the expressions, " atrocious falsehood," 
of which Major Brown son complained, was used by 
him in August or September, 1832, and that at the 
time, he told me, if he was not borne out by facts, he 
would waive every kind of privilege, and meet me 
whenever I pleased : now it so happens, that a very few 
days after he had hoisted his flag in the Donna Maria, 
he had assembled all the officers of that ship, and 
found that he was not borne out by facts, in calling 
the statement in the log an " atrocious falsehood," 
and therefore he convicts himself of not redeeming a 

* xippendix, No. LI 1 1., Court- Martial. 

f Appendix, Nos. LVL, LVIL, LVIII., and LIX. 

+ Page 134. 



THE ADMIRAL. 



255 



pledge, which he says he gave in presence of many of 
his officers. He admits that I made a satisfactory 
apology, for he calls it a strong one, for that which 
had been wrong in my conduct ; that he had agreed 
" to consider me in the same light as upon our first 
acquaintance ; " and that I immediately evinced the 
sincerity of the reconciliation on my part, by being 
the first to call out the men to give him three cheers. 
In this manner he endeavours to blink his letter, 
written to the Minister of Marine, in which he speaks 
of matters of offence, which, with his hand on his 
heart, seven months before, he had pledged his honour 
should never be mentioned, or thought of again. 
But, not to fatigue my readers with a useless repetition, 
I beg to refer to the former part* of my narrative, to 
the re-perusal of which I invite them with the less 
hesitation, because they will then be gratified, at any 
rate, by reading how Captain Morgell behaved to me — 
an officer as honourable in every transaction of his life, 
as he was brave in action. I regret that it is not in my 



* Page 111-, a -d following images. 



256 



CONDUCT OF 



power to do justice to his character; while it is some 
consolation to me, and some testimony in my favour, 
that such a man should have thought me not un- 
worthy of that advice by which, and not (as the 
Admiral asserts) by the dread of a court-martial, I 
was induced to withdraw my resignation of my ship. 
My resignation, too, it is to be remembered, according 
to the AdmiraPs naval law in September 1832, would 
have been an insuperable impediment to a court- 
martial : but, it is needless to dwell on the inconsis- 
tencies of a man, who, when called to an account for 
a letter written in February 1833, refers to a 
transaction in August or September 1832, there being 
no other link to connect the offensive expression with 
the two periods, except his admission that his honour 
was forfeited, by having mentioned the occurrence to 
which he applied them. The second passage in his 
reply, which I think it worth while to notice is, 
" I believe I may attribute correctly Captain Mins\s 
quitting Oporto, more to my brave and gallant 
successor refusing to employ him in any way, than 
to other causes" This observation could have been 



THE ADMIRAL. 



257 



dictated, only by the consciousness, that he had 
practised on his successor, to prevent my employment 
under him ; and it also proves that he had not at that 
time (29th of July) much hope, that the plot for 
injuring me in the opinion of the Portuguese Ministry 
had been attended with even momentary success ; 
and that the letter from the Marquess of Louie 
to the Chevalier de Lima, of which he has, by some 
means, since obtained a copy (though not from the 
Chevalier de Lima), and published in the London 
papers, was not known to exist. As to the reference, 
on a mutual statement, to the senior officers of the 
profession, as a whetstone to his honour, it may pass 
with a similar proposal to Sir John Milley Doyle. 
It is all fudge ! It amounts to nothing more than a 
possibility of his repugnance to fighting being 
overcome, if I could manage to get him into a corner, 
and prevent his running away ; and I shall meet all 
such propositions, as such an one was once met before 
by a man of undoubted honour and courage, and say 
to him, " I was willing to meet you, to preserve my 
own reputation, but certainly shall not do so, merely 



'258 



CONDUCT OF 



to restore your s." The Admiral's reply was forwarded 
to Major Brownson, through the secretary Boid; and 
I regret, as much as he can, that he had not the 
opportunity he wished for, of delivering it personally, 
and accompanying it with a little whispering. Major 
Brownson, it will be seen, answered every statement in 
the Admiral's letter, and invited him to enter into an 
explanation, assuring him that I was willing to listen 
to it, and anxious to find that he could clear himself, 
and show that his conduct towards me arose from his 
ear having been abused by an ill adviser ; this the 
secretary applied to himself. What could make him 
suspect that he was alluded to ? However, to himself 
he applied it, and, with his usual ingenuity and 
penetration, converted this observation of Major 
Brownson's into the fable of my having told the 
Portuguese government, that Sertorius was an ho- 
nourable man, but that Captain Boid had given him 
bad advice, and would make a good stalking-horse. 
I should, indeed, have rejoiced if Major Brownson's 
invitation to an explanation, in Paris or London, had 
enabled me to say, that the Admiral had cleared his 



THE ADMIRAL. 



259 



character, and removed the disgrace from his own, to 
other shoulders ; but that, while in Oporto, after my 
return from Vigo, I should have told the Portuguese 
ministers, that I believed him to be an honourable 
man, is as impossible, as that they would have believed 
me, if I had attempted to practise that deception on 
them. Let the secretary read my last letter, written 
at Oporto, and be convinced ; or, let him convict me 
on the evidence of one credible witness, of having 
said, while smarting under the inflictions of the 
Admiral's unexplained outrages and slanders, that he 
was an honourable man, even as an Antony would 
have said it ; and I will make any apology either of 
them may dictate, and consent to be called an idiot 
ever after. As to saying that the secretary would 
make a stalking-horse^ that is another affair, and one 
on Avhich I most certainly had no occasion to speculate 
at Oporto. A stalking-horse, I believe, is not a beast 
that bears the iniquities of others, but an animal 
which, not being effective for any more useful purpose, 
is yet qualified, by his inoffensive appearance, to 
conceal the person who wishes to sneak close to his 



260 



CONDUCT OF 



prey, that his aim may be sure and deadly ; and 
therefore, if it should be proved, that the secretary 
was the person, who, under the colour of the Admiral's 
name, endeavoured to wound my reputation, the 
appellation of stalking-horse, whatever his quali- 
fications, will be inapplicable to him. 

But the Admiral, while the Secretary was thus 
mystifying himself with Major Brownson's letter, took 
such a different view of it, that he gave out, in Paris, 
that he intended to return to England, for the pur- 
pose of calling Major Brownson out, who, on being 
informed of the intention, left his cards of address at 
the club, and every other place in which he thought 
it probable that the Admiral would find them. The 
Admiral, however, had been in town some time before 
they met ; and then their meeting was accidental, and 
in the street. Sertorius offered his hand, but Brown- 
son declined it, asking him, if he had received his 
cards. Sertorius admitted that he had received them. 
A gentleman, an officer, and a man well acquainted 
with the world, must have known that they were 
either intended to show that Brownson had paid him 

M 



THE ADMIRAL. 



261 



several visits of civility, which ought to have been 
returned, or to indicate a purpose, which made it 
still more imperative on him to communicate his arrival 
in London to Brownson. Sertorius, however, instead 
of entering into an explanation with Brownson, began 
abusing Captain Mins, myself, in such virulent terms, 
that Brownson broke off the conversation, consider- 
ing Sertorius^s language unfitting for a gentleman 
to listen to. 

I have already said, that Sertorius's reply to 
Brownson s first letter, was sent through the secre- 
tary; but a sense of the " peculiar duties" of 
that personage, soon moved him to assume a more 
prominent station. But, before I proceed to examine 
the remainder of his letter to me, of the 10th of 
September, 1833, on parts of which I have before had 
occasion to comment, I think it necessary to record 
one of the acts of friendship towards me, with respect 
to which, his modesty has made him keep silence. 
On the 29th of December, 1832, he wrote from Vigo 
Bay, without communicating with me on the subject, 
to Mr; Dalrymple, the father-in-law of a gallant 



262 



CONDUCT OF 



young midshipman (Dawson), who had been killed in 
our last action, telling him that I had received his son's 
share of dollars, found in the Don John Magnanimo, 
viz. £.25. At the time of writing this letter, the 
secretary knew very well that his own share did not 
amount to much more than this sum, and that the 
midshipman's was about twenty-six dollars only. 
This letter to Mr. Dalrymple, enclosed his bill of 
exchange for Dawson's pay. Why he did not ask me 
to remit the prize-money at the same time, and his 
reasons for making this erroneous statement of the 
amount of it, the date of the letter will explain ; it 
was while the plot against me was thickening ; two 
days before the Admiral came on board, to oif'er me 
his parting personal insult, and to desire me to leave 
the ship in three hours. 

No one will be surprised, that I unreservedly 
expressed my displeasure, when I found him capable 
of writing such a letter as this; or that I concealed my 
feelings when told of his conduct on that occasion, 
when Captain Blakiston left the Admiral's table in 
disgust ; as well as on other occasions, when I 



THE ADMIRAL. 



263 



was the subject of abuse ; or when I found that 
the offensive letters, signed by the Admiral, were 
in the hand-writing of " my best, my only friend. 11 
Such indeed I had often gratefully called him, when 
adverting to the earlier stages of our acquaintance, and 
the services which he had rendered me at my request, 
in healing family dissensions ; and when I thought him 
1 ncapable of threatening to publish to the world, those 
differences among near relations, the very existence 
of which, men of honour are careful to conceal from 
all except those to whom it is necessary to speak 
of them, in order to bring about a reconciliation, the 
knowledge of which he says I confided to him, 
and which he enumerates among the "nuts'" to be 
cracked by " those who condescend to the degrading 
practice of doing a private injury, to revenge an 
offence.' 1 

It seems incredible, yet so it is : this condemnation 
of the course he threatens, is to be found in the same 
wonderful letter which conveys the threat ; and in 
this letter too, I find a breach of a promise made me 
by Sertorius, designated " a slight change, which he 
thought it wise to make and then I am taunted 



264 



CONDUCT OF 



with not being 44 blessed with one hundredth portion 
of the generosity of heart of that man, or with one 
glimmering spark of his religious and moral prin- 
ciples." How admirably does this secretary refute 
himself ! " It was not, however," he writes, 44 in an 
open manly way you expressed your displeasure at 
his (Sertorius's) plans." And a few lines further on, 
44 You took every opportunity of sowing the seeds of 
disaffection, both in the minds of the officers, as well 
as men, by abusing, in the grossest terms, both the 
Admiral, and every thing that he did, and in such 
loud language to me, whenever we were walking the 
deck together, evidently with no other view than to 
render it a means of making such sentiments public." 
My proceedings were 44 even dangerous to the service; 11 
but danger and service are subjects on which the 
secretary is quite out of his depth ; his horror of the 
one*, sadly overpowers his judgment — and of the other, 
he knows nothing, as it did not come within the range 
of Ins 44 peculiar duties." It is in this letter I find 
the passage I have before quoted-f-, relative to the 

* See in the Times Newspaper. 27th October, 1832, his account of 
his miraculous escape from some splinters, 
f See p. 78. 



THE ADMIRAL. 



265 



Emperor's order to bring the flat boats into the Douro, 
Here, too, I am told, " When in Vigo Bay, Captain 
Massey refused an appointment to your vessel, on the 
plea, that he could not serve under a man who had 
been turned out of a vessel, in which you were ship- 
mates, for cowardice ; did I repeat it, or even listen 
to it, when reflected on by the officers ? No, Sir, 
nobody can venture to say so ; and I discountenanced 
it altogether, until a similar circumstance occurred on 
board the Briton, when, on the same plea, one of the 
lieutenants refused to meet you at the captain's dinner, 
which thus forced upon me the fact. Nor did I then 
give aid in circulating the report The occurrence 
to which he alludes, I am aware, will never reflect 
any credit on me ; and, therefore, I will not attempt 
to conceal it ; and will allow the secretary, and Ad- 
miral, to make the most of it. When a midshipman, 
I quarrelled with, and called out, another midshipman, 
accepted an imperfect apology, and finding that his 
report of the transaction had done me injury, and 
that he would not give me another meeting, I thrashed 
him, and was, in consequence, obliged to leave the 

N 



266 THE ADMIRAL^ SECRETARY, 

ship. But I do not believe, that twenty years after- 
wards, a lieutenant of the Briton refused his captain's 
invitation to meet me at dinner, or alluded to this 
affair for the purpose of calling my conduct cowardly, 
because I dined on board that ship, in company with 
the first-lieutenant, who was the only one who had 
been my shipmate, on that occasion ; besides which, 
the captain of the Briton has obligingly replied to 
me, as I believe every other captain of the service 
would reply, if his opinion were asked, " as to the 
invidious story of thrashing a midshipman, and leaving 
your ship on that account, surely no one would for a 
moment blame you at this time ; and I assure you 
I never heard it designated cowardly Whether 
this answer will satisfy the secretary, or make him 
feel remorse at not having himself been the person to 
interpose with such remarks, when the subject was 
discussed, I neither know nor care ; it is satisfactory 
to me, and I believe will be so to every one whose 
rank and character can give any weight to a decision. 
Not that I do not regret that my inexperience at that 
period, led me into adopting a course of proceeding 



AND CAPTAIN MINS. 



267 



for which I am sorry, though it has produced no 
other ill result to me, except formerly leading me 
into hostile meetings with some who took upon them- 
selves to put constructions on my conduct to which 
I could not submit, but who, nevertheless, had suffi- 
cient honour to make me the only possible reparation. 
But the secretary goes on, " when the Commissary- 
General, on his return from England, publicly declared 
that you had committed a fraud on the agents of the 
expedition (Messrs. Carbonell), to the amount of 
£300, and that you could never again show your 
face in the Junior United Service Club, did I assist 
in giving it publicity, or a colouring of truth ? No, 
Sir, I did not." Wonderful forbearance ! He knew 
how to bedaub a lie with the colouring of truth ; but 
friendship prevented the display of his skill, and 
made " his right hand forget her cunning." When 
an accusation is made against me, either of having 
committed a fraud, or of having manifested disgrace- 
ful cowardice, so publicly, that my friend hears of it 
and I do not, does my friend proclaim it false ? Does 
my friend tell me of it, that I may meet it myself? 



268 THE ADMIRAL'S SECRETARY, 

Does my friend defend me ? No ! my friend only 
does " not assist in giving it publicity," that is, he 
conceals it from me, and he does not give it a 
colouring of truth. 

" Throw friendship to the dogs, 
I'll none of it." 

The secretary next reminds me, that he had written 
to me at Oporto, to say, that though he had not 
approved of my conduct in the squadron, and could 
not feel for me as he used to do, yet he would not 
gratuitously become my enemy, and therefore, in 
answer to the inquiries of my connexions at Bath, and 
in Essex, " I," he says, " enjoined the most perfect 
silence as to any reports connected with your name, 
and entreated them to profess a thorough ignorance 
of anything they might hear unfavourable to your 
character. ,, Let the secretary, therefore, say what 
price he received, and by whom it was paid, for this 
hostile conduct ; for he had promised not to become 
my enemy gratuitously, and the bitterest enemy 
could not have found out a more effectual way to 
damn my reputation amongst my connexions. 



AND CAPTAIN MINS. 



And then he goes back to my boyhood, and 
reproaches me for my expulsion from school when 
eleven years old, for an offence on which I cannot 
reflect without shame and contrition, the remembrance 
of which he knows is as afflicting to me, as my punish- 
ment has been severe ; since it has served him, and the 
Admiral, as the basis of their slanders ; though those 
who were competent judges of that delinquency, 
did not think it a bar to my entering into an honour- 
able profession, or an impediment to my rising in 
it fully equal to my merits. I do not attempt to 
palliate my juvenile conduct ; and yet it does not 
appear to me to be so odious as it would be to attempt 
to impose on one to whom I had solemnly sworn 
fidelity, for the sake of extorting gain to myself, 
by pretending to extricate him from dangers which 
had no existence, except in my invention — a crime 
in which I was invited to join the Admiral, and the 
secretary ; not in their boyhood, before their principles 
were formed, but in the maturity of manhood, when 
the one was blessed with more than a hundred times 
the generosity of heart, and sense of moral and 



270, THE ADMIRAL'S SECRETARY, 

religious obligations than I possess ; and the other was 
capable of giving me advice, which might, if I had 
acted on it, have proved beneficial to my interests, 
happiness, and character. 

The secretary concludes his splendid epistle, by 
telling me, that having, as a friend, first admitted me 
to a private view of the portrait of myself, in the 
colouring in which he has dressed it, his duty obliges 
him to exhibit it to the public, that he may put 
them on their guard against my machinations; and 
that he will do so, unless I can immediately assure 
him, that I have not circulated any report injurious 
to his reputation, as an officer and a gentleman ; ; f 
I fail in that, he can be desperate and determined, 
do his duty, and write a pamphlet. I passed over all 
the ravings of his letter, and looking only to his 
professions of friendship, remembering only the sin- 
cerity of my former friendship for him, and hoping 
that we might both have been deceived, and that he 
had written to me under the influence of a temporary 
delirium, into which others had worked him, I invited 
him to enter into a full explanation with me; telling 



AND C ATTAIN MINS. 



271 



him, that if he could show me that I had wronged 
him, I would make him any apology; but that if 
he could not stand the test of an explanation, I defied 
him, and all my enemies. He replied, by referring 
me to his former letter, for a clear, copious, and 
conscientious one, though that letter itself spoke of 
his having other explanatory matter. To this I 
rejoined, by repeating my defiance, and assuring 
him that I should not be silent. His inducement to 
commence this correspondence is as extraordinary, 
and as fatal to his fair fame, as the letter itself. 
It happened, that, after making the rough sketch 
of my portrait, and while I heard he was busy 
with his colouring, that Mr. Brooks informed me, 
that the secretary intended, the first time he met 
me, to — what does my reader think this desperate, 
and determined man intended to do? To knock 
me down — to break every bone in my skin ? — No, 
the Admiral was to do that, because he had the 
greatest physical strength. To trample on me 
when I was down, and all my bones broken? — No, 
his desperation, and determination, did not go that 



272 THE ADMIRAL*' S SECRETARY, 

length ; he intended, while I was standing bolt 
upright, to shake hands with me — desperate and 
determined indeed ! ! ! I requested Mr. Brooks to 
advise him to observe a little more forbearance, as 
if he attempted to carry his threat into execution, I 
should insult him. 

He says that he was apprised that I intended to 
insult him wherever I met him ; but this is incorrect ; 
I did not mean to take so much notice of him, unless 
he attempted to shake hands with me. But he shall 
tell his tale in his own words : — " I was determined 
to put your threats to the test, by placing myself in 
your way ; and though at that time very important 
business required my absence, I remained in town 
two or three days for that express purpose. After 
much vain research, in the haunts I knew you were 
accustomed to frequent, you at length appeared at the 
club, late on the evening previous to my final de- 
parture.'" There is, I must here observe, a letter at 
Oporto, in the secretary's own hand- writing, which 
says, speaking of me, " He (Captain Mins) has left his 
cards of address in England so that, if he would 



AND CAPTAIN MINS. 



but have remembered what he had written, he might 
have saved himself both time and trouble. " I was en- 
gaged," he continues, " at a rubber of whist ; however, 
after remaining a short time in the room, you thought 
proper to leave, without executing your resolves, or 
noticing me in any way," This again is not quite 
correct ; I remained and played several rubbers, after 
he had gone away. 66 I have also," he proceeds, 
<( since heard, from various quarters, that, subsequent 
to that occurrence, you have determined on a less 
honourable and manly mode of showing your male- 
volence, by sedulously endeavouring to disseminate 
unfavourable impressions respecting me ; and also, 
that, on one occasion, you applied very offensive 
language to my name, in conjunction with that of 
Admiral Sertorius. My first impulse was, to exact 
the satisfactory redress, which the rules of society 
require from one gentleman to another; but, on 
consulting a friend on the subject, I am come to the 
determination of considering you, on account both of 
your ignominious degrading conduct towards me, and 
the stains on your own character, altogether out of the 
n 5 



274 



CONDUCT Of 



pale of gentlemanly privileges. 1 ' Thus the reader will 
see, in one thing only is he consistent ; the foregoing 
quotation being the commencement of that letter, the 
conclusion of which assures me of his desperate deter^ 
mination " to resign the pistol, and resume the pen."" 

How beautifully his intention of shaking hands 
with me, contrasts with the spirited resolution of 
considering me without the pale of gentlemanly 
privileges ! How exquisitely the threat of doing his 
duty to the public by exposing me, harmonises with 
the offer to leave the public a prey to my machinations, 
if I would but declare, that he had done nothing 
unbecoming the character of an officer, and a gen- 
tleman ! With what a modest diffidence, in the 
strength of his own reputation, does he thus seek to 
secure in its favour, even at the high price of refraining 
from the discharge of his duty, the testimony of the 
infamous, the knave, and the coward ! 

It may be bad taste on my part, which prevents 
me from following this example ; or a want of wis- 
dom, which hinders me from making any concession, 
in order to obtain similar evidence in my favour ; 



THE ADMIRAL. 



275 



but, remembering that cursed Is he of whom all 
men speak well, there is nothing I so much dread, 
as the good report of the secretary and his Admiral ; 
nothing I so much deprecate, as their praise. They 
may rail at me openly, if they will, but there shall 
be no whispering, if I can detect it ; — no private 
notes against the names of officers, if I can, even by 
accident, discover them ; and I have by accident seen 
a private list, in which the notes against the names 
are in the Admiral's hand-writing. Public duty, or 
"opposition to the Government," he will, perhaps, 
say, obliged him to make them ; but surely, if the 
officers deserved punishment or censure, duty ought 
to have pointed out a different course ; while the 
opposition of the commander of a squadron to his 
Government is a novelty in naval history. Nelson 
never would have urged the grossest misconduct of 
his Government, as a palliation for not taking every 
advantage of an enemy ; nor would the withholding 
an earldom or a viceroyship, have provoked him 
into discontinuing an action. In a former period, 
Drake too, regardless of the system of Government, 



THE ADMIRAL 



and not troubling himself to inquire, whether they, 
by whom it was administered, were honest men or 
rogues, made all who met it, respect or dread the 
flag under which he served : he has been known to 
curl his mustachios, and capture his opponents ; but 
of the inventor of naval opposition, it will be re- 
corded, that he cut off the one and let the other 
escape, pleading the villainy of Dom Pedro's advisers 
as his excuse. The secretary having imparted this 
information to me, I have previously given it in 
his own elegant language, and annexed to it the 
names of the advisers at Oporto ; and as he has, in a 
postscript to his correspondence, given me to under- 
stand that he was sent to England on duty, but 
would not return to Oporto, because he was dis- 
gusted at the traitorous conduct of the advisers on 
this side the water, I shall answer this assertion as 
I did the former one, by giving their names. In 
England, the Marquess of Funchal represented the 
Queen of Portugal's Government, assisted by the 
Chevalier de Lima, as Charge d' Affaires, and Messrs. 
Carbonnell, as Agents. 



AND HIS SECRETARY. 



277 



Thus, it appears that no friend could escape the 
secret attacks of the disappointed Admiral, and se- 
cretary. The illustrious individuals with whom 
I have the honour of sharing their abuse, need not 
condescend even to smile in contempt at their ca- 
lumniators ; and it would be presumption in me, to say- 
one word in their defence ; they have found another 
Admiral, and he a different secretary. But I, if I 
submit in silence to the opprobrium with which their 
tongues and pens are busied in loading me, may seem 
to give " a colouring of truth n to their accusations ; 
and therefore, having in vain sought that mutual 
explanation which honourable men are ever as anxious 
to give as to receive, I present myself at the bar 
of public opinion, and submit to that decision, an 
account of my conduct as second in command under 
Sertorius ; and before the same tribunal, I arraign 
both him and his secretary ; my own vindication, 
and not a mawkish pretence of duty to the public, 
compels me to this course : for I should not have 
thought their characters worth exposing, if my own 
had not been worth a defence ; and now, they must 



THE ADMIEAL 



either produce proofs to convict me of all which they 
have insinuated against me, or they must hereafter 
bear, among their other blushing honours, the in- 
delible brand of slanderer on their foreheads. 

To my friends, I say, if any friend has doubted 
the issue of the investigation which I court, fear not 
for me ; should my accusers, finding that they cannot 
successfully impeach my conduct during the time 
of my service in the Portuguese constitutional squa* 
dron, the only period of my life which concerns them 
at all, fasten on one offence of the boy, and inveigh 
against one act, the result of inexperience in the 
youth, the meanness of the subterfuge will but add 
to their shame; they will only prove, what I have 
admitted, that I am not exempt from error, while 
they will convict themselves of having calumniated 
me as second in command of the late expedition; 
with this I shall be satisfied, and, I trust, my friends 
will too. 

Admiral and Secretary > choose your own course ; 
and, at your pleasure, break through all the de- 
corums of life. I, whatever my faults may be, am 



AttD HIS SECRETARY. 



279 



not base enough to follow your example, or to arm 
myself with your weapons of attack or defence, 
With this assurance, I take my leave, and this is 
my adieu to each of you — 

Thou can'st not think, nor I find words to tell 5 
How much I loath and scorn thee ; — so farewell. 



APPENDIX. 



No. I. 

Her Majesty's ShijJ Donna Maria. 
January 5th, 1S32. 

Sir, 

I have to report taking command of Her Majesty's 
Ship Donna Maria, on Wednesday the 4th, and, in justice to 
myself, and the officers who joined with me, I have to request you 
will order your Flag Captain, and any other officer, to take a 
survey of her present state, and report as to the probable time of 
getting her ready for sea. She has not on hoard, a yard of canvass, a 
foot of plank, no coals, no provisions, no hammocks or beds for 
the men, only fifteen tons of water, which, in consequence of not 
having a pump, cannot be got at ; this, with many other things I 
could enumerate, and one hundred tons of mud in the main hold, 
the tanks not stown, and the ship being too high to get them 
on deck, and having only one hundred and fifty men on board in 
all, will, I trust, induce you to order a survey for my satisfaction ; 
and, I trust, as the ship has only two heavy cutters and a small 
jolly boat to do all her work, you will not think it necessary to 
order me to supply any other ship with the gig : but as she is 
a fine six-oared boat, and therefore too large for me, you will 



APPENDIX. 



permit my exchanging her for a smaller four-oared boat of the 
same description, belonging to the Rainha da Portugal. 

I have the honour to be, Sir, 

Your obedient humble Servant, 

(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain. 

To his Excellency Vice-Admiral Sertorius, 
Commander-in-Chief, &c. &c &c. 



No. II. 

His Imperial Majesty Dom Pedro, having heard of the death of 
one of the seamen of the squadron, has directed, with his cha- 
racteristic benevolence and generosity, that the body should be 
immediately forwarded to England, if likely to produce any con- 
solation to the friends and relatives of the deceased, and that the 
nearest surviving relative should receive two pounds per month, 
for one year ; also that the same privilege should be granted to the 
relatives of all such British subjects as may die in these roads. The 
Vice- Admiral takes this opportunity of showing the sense of His 
Imperial Majesty's intention of the services of the brave men who 
have volunteered in the present noble cause, and desires the 
captains and commanders of Her Majesty's vessels will com- 
municate the same to the seamen under their command. 

By order of the Vice-Admiral, 
(Signed) E. BOID, 

Rainha da Portugal. 



No. III. 

The Commander-in-Chief takes the earliest opportunity to 
inform the seamen and marines, that His Imperial Majesty has 
been pleased to confirm the present of clothes, which the Vice- 



APPENDIX. 



283 



Admiral (presuming upon the well-known character of the Em- 
peror) had promised to them, and not only to confirm the in- 
creased pay of fifty-five shillings per month, but to mark still 
further the high sense of the British sailors' and soldiers' cha- 
racters, and particularly of those embarked under the Vice- 
Admiral's orders, His Majesty has been further pleased to in- 
crease that pay five shillings per month during the time the 
royal standard shall fly at our mast head. The Vice-Admiral 
now calls upon his countrymen to assist him, heart and hand, 
in the noblest cause that a Briton can be employed upon next 
to fighting for his own king and country, namely, to aid a gallant 
and generous prince in his noble views, to place an injured 
princess upon the throne ; to clear the prisons of more than six 
thousand innocent men, whose only crimes are an honest per- 
formance of their duty, keeping their oaths, and restoring that 
constitutional liberty to Portugal, which has made our own be- 
loved country, with all its disadvantages of numbers and climate, 
the mistress of the ocean, and first amongst nations of the 
earth. The intentions of His Majesty are humane and conci- 
liating ; but if they are not met with the spirit those intentions 
merit, let us prove that British hearts and British hands (pro- 
tected and blessed by a mighty and righteous Being) have not 
been appealed to in vain to relieve the persecuted, and clear the 
dungeons of their innocent victims. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS. 

Belle Isle, February 1832. 



No. IV. 

COPY OF THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE. 

I swear fidelity and obedience to Her Most Faithful Majesty, 
Donna Maria Segunda, or the regency acting in her name, and 



284 



APPENDIX. 



to the Constitutional Charter, as given by His Imperial Majesty, 
Dom Pedro, in 1826; — that is to say, during the time I may be 
engaged in Her Most Faithful Majesty's service, and provided that 
obedience shall never be required in any manner injurious to the 
interests of my native country. So help me God ! &c. &c. 



No. V. 

To Captain Mins. 

Her Majesty's Ship Donna Maria. 
Sir, 

You will proceed with the ship under your command, 
and with the vessels named in the annexed list, under your 
charge, with all possible speed to the Western Islands (either 
Fayal or Terceira, according to the information you may receive), 
to rejoin my flag ; and in case of my absence, you will follow the 
directions of His Imperial Majesty Dom Pedro. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS. 
Her Majesty's Ship Rainha da Portugal. 
February 9th, 1832. 

THE TYRIAN STORE SHIP. 
THE EDWARD TRANSPORT. 



No. VI. 

Her Majesty's Ship Rainha da Portugal, 
February 9th, 1832. 

Secret and Confidential. 
As the good discipline, order, and contentment of the sailors 
and marines, depends entirely on their being dealt with according 
to the customs and usages of the British navy, a liberal inter- 



APPENDIX. 



285 



pretation of the same, and that the officers to command them, 
should be, according to promise, entirely English ; you will there- 
fore, on no account, receive directions, from any source whatever, 
to alter or modify the above arrangements. But in case of being 
required to do so by any high authority, you will respectfully and 
firmly represent, that you are ready to act for the good of the 
service, in obeying every order with zeal and activity, emanating 
from a competent source, relative to all the external service of 
the ship in acting against the enemy, but that you do not feel 
yourself authorized to comply with such as require a breach of the 
articles of contract, upon which the services of the British officers, 
sailors, and marines of the squadron have been engaged in the 
cause of Her Most Faithful Majesty, Donna Maria Segunda. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS. 

For Captain Mins, 
Donna Maria II. 



No. VII. 

(copy.) 
A CONTRACT 
between the Chevalier D' Abrue e Lima, acting in behalf of 
the Regent, in the name of Her Majesty the Queen, Donna 
Maria II. and Captain Sertorius. He being animated with 
sentiments of the purest devotion to the cause of Her Majesty the 
Queen, Donna Maria II., and desirous of contributing to her 
triumph by sacrificing even, if necessary, his present situation and 
future prospects, having offered to enter into the service of her 
said Majesty, and his offer having been accepted, the following 
Articles, in consequence, were agreed upon : — 

Article I. 

Captain Sertorius engages himself, and is taken into the service 
of Her Majesty, Queen Donna Maria II., with the rank of Vice- 
Admiral. 



286 



APPENDIX. 



Article II. 

The emoluments of the Vice-Admiral will be those corresponding 
with that rank in the Royal Navy ; that is to say, seven guineas 
a day during the time the principal object of the service lasts, 
which will be signified in the Seventh Article. These emoluments 
will begin to be paid to him from the moment he commences 
active service. 

Article III. 

There will be granted to Admiral Sertorius, and his second 
in command*, Captain ****, the value of their commissions. 

Article IV. 

The Vice- Admiral will have the chief command of all the fleet 
in the service of Her Majesty the Queen Donna Maria II. 

Article V. 

The Vice- Admiral will propose all the officers who are to serve 
under his orders ; and a list will be made, and submitted for the 
approbation of the Regent, in the name of the Queen. 

Article VI. 

The Vice- Admiral will be allowed to engage these officers, and 
they will have given to them a step in rank to that which they 
already hold. He will give them an acting order, which, should 
the Regent approve of, will be confirmed by. commission. 

Article VII. 

These officers will engage themselves to serve as long as the 
Regent may judge proper, and at least until the particular cause 
of their engagement ceases to exist ; that is to say, until the final 
conclusion of the actual war between the legitimate Queen and the 
Usurper. 

* Captain Mins. 



APPENDIX. 



287 



Article VIII. 

As soon as the Restoration takes place in Portugal, the officers 
engaged will be allowed the option of continuing in the Portuguese 
service, submitting themselves, in that case, to the laws of the 
country, or to quit the service. 

Article IX. 

There will be allowed to those officers quitting the service a 
pecuniary gratification, which will amount to two years' pay, ac- 
cording to their last rank, for all in general ; and of four years to 
those who, in consequence of their actual engagement, expose 
themselves to lose their commissions. This being the case, the 
Portuguese Government will be bound to grant to those officers 
losing their commissions an indemnity equal to the value of them. 
The Vice- Admiral consents to give up the above-mentioned ad- 
tages in the first part of the present Article. 

Article X. 

The pay of the officers during their first commission will be 
regulated according to the English scale, also the gratification 
mentioned in the preceding Article. It will commence for each 
of them from the moment determined upon by the Vice- Admiral 
Commander-in-Chief. 

Article XI. 

There will be allowed to the first classes of sailors and soldiers, 
after the restoration in Portugal, when they will be discharged, a 
gratification of six months of extra pay. 

Article XII. 

In case of death, or of wounds, in the service of, and for the 
cause of, Her Majesty the Queen Donna Maria II., the ordonnances 
of the British Navy will regulate the indemnities accorded to indi- 
viduals, or their families. 



288 



APPENDIX, 



Article XIII. 

The common laws of war not being applicable to the present 
one, it is to be understood that all seizures that may be made of 
ships, or of goods belonging to private individuals, shall be put 
carefully away, to be given up to their proprietors at a proper time, 
reserving an indemnity of 10 per cent, upon the value of the said 
seizures which shall be shared amongst the captors, according to 
the English laws. It is to be understood that ships having the 
colours of the Queen, or belonging to individuals living in countries 
subject to her authority, shall not be detained or molested during 
their voyage. As for vessels of the state, or objects of war in 
power of the enemy, taken by main force, they will be considered 
good prizes, and their value shared amongst the captors, according 
to the laws, ordonnances, and rules of the Royal Navy. 

Article XIV. 

The laws and discipline of the Royal Navy will be observed as 
respects the ships of the fleet which are commanded by and have 
two-thirds, at least, of the crew English, the courts-martial are 
to be composed of the officers of those ships. But the ships com- 
manded by and having two-thirds of their crew Portuguese, will 
only be subject to the general rules of the service, and to the 
discipline the Vice- Admiral establishes for the whole fleet ; but 
the penal Portuguese laws alone can be applicable to them. 

Article XV. 

In case of the meeting of two or more officers of the same rank, 
Portuguese and English, the dates of their commissions will decide 
their seniority. 

Article XVI. 

The Vice-Admiral, in the quality of Commander-in-Chief of the 
fleet, will receive his orders and instructions direct from the 



APPENDIX. 



289 



Regent, and will not be subject to any other officer, Portuguese or 
English, whatever may be his rank. The orders to be given to 
the fleet, or to a part of it, will be communicated by the Vice- 
Admiral, unless there is any insurmountable obstacle. 

Article XVII. 

The Vice- Admiral will have the power of filling up vacancies, 
caused by officers leaving, who are no longer fit for service, on 
submitting his choice to the approbation of the Government. 
As to the promotions and advancements, for other causes, the 
Vice-Admiral will be bound to make, beforehand, the proposals 
to the Regent, and to obtain his approbation. 

Executed in London, the 30th of March, 1831. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS. 

Lini Antonia d' Abrue e Lima. 

Additional Article. 
Vice-Admiral Sertorius and his second in command, Captain 
****, being aware of the small pecuniary means in the power 
of the Regent, have generously consented to give up the indemnity 
that was ensured to them by the third Article of the above Contract, 
which Article is by this one declared void, according to then- 
wishes. 

London, 30th November, 1831. 

(Signed)' R. G. SERTORIUS. 

Lini Antonia d' Abrue e Lima. 



O 



£90 



APPENDIX, 



No. VIII. 

Her Majesty's Ship Donna Maria; 
March 12th, 1832. 

Sir, 

I represented to you, in as strong a manner as I was 
able, the fears I had, respecting the safety of the ship, when I 
received your orders to disembark all the marines, and stated 
clearly, that I could not be answerable for the conduct of the men, 
nor could I attempt to oppose them, with myself and only about 
twenty-five officers, should they rise, and attempt to take the ship 
from us. I have to express my deep regret that you should have 
taken such slight notice of that which I thought so serious ; it is 
now my painful duty to state to you again, that, unless some im- 
mediate steps are taken, the time is not far off, when the seamen 
of this ship will do that, which if it does not deprive Her Majesty 
of all the British ones, will, at least, those of tbis ship. Yesterday 
morning, as I was going over the side, all the petty officers came 
to me, stating they were sent by the ship's company, to acquaint 
me with their discontent and grievance, which they did in the 
following manner; they said, they all considered the ship " black 
listed ;" that they were promised a suit of clothes, which had not 
been given to them, and that the Rainha da Portugal had had their's 
some time since ; that they were promised their pay every month, 
which was some time due to many of them ; that the Rainha da 
Portugal had many advantages that they had not." I endeavoured 
to pacify them, by assuring them, the only reason that they had 
not their clothes, was, because the person employed to procure 
them and bring them out had not arrived, but, that the moment he 
came, they would have them ; that they would be paid their wages 
as soon as we joined your flag; and that it was quite a mistake, to 
suppose the ship was " black listed." I then promised them, that 
if their clothes were not given to them, I would do it from my 



APPENDIX. 



291 



own pocket; they then assured me their discontent was not against 
me, or any officer of the ship, they felt the engagements under 
which they entered, were not fulfilled : on my promising to go 
back to Angra, as soon as the guns were in, they went to their 
work; but notwithstanding they hoisted in twenty large guns, 
and stowed them away, got in the launch, and the ship under 
weigh that day, yet certain murmurings and expressions, which 
reached my ears, and those of several of the officers, obliged me, 
as next in command, to state to you in a positive manner, that 
unless faith is most strictly kept, in spite of every obstacle, with 
all the British, their services will be lost to the cause. I deeply 
deplore this occurrence, particularly as I feel, as Captain of the 
ship, the comforts and promises to my men have not been adhered 
to so closely as they ought. I have now to state, that, in the 
Edward, or Tyrian, there are some bales of jackets and trowsers, 
and I have, with zeal and anxiety for Her Majesty's service, to 
request you will order the ship to be supplied with sufficient to 
serve one to each man, according to the original agreement with 
them ; that you also order them to be immediately paid all the pay 
that is due to them (seven men have received as yet no pay) ; and 
that you will direct a sum of money to be placed in my hands, or 
in the hands of the Commissary, for the purpose of paying the 
ship's company at a future period when their pay may again come 
due : and from the high rank I hold under your command, I con- 
sider it my duty to state to you as my opinion, that unless this is 
done, the ship's company will not remain under the controul they 
have been ; and also to point out, that should this ship's company 
take any such step, the contagion would fly to the flag ship, and 
from her to Porta Praya. 

I have the honour to be, 

Your obedient humbie servant, 

(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain. 

To His Excellency Vice-Admiral Sertorius, 
Commander-in-Chief, &c. &c. 



292 



APPENDIX. 



No. IX. 

You will repair with the vessels named in the margin, off the 
Island of Madeira, previously taking on board, from this island, 
such persons as may be ordered there by His Excellency the 
Minister of Marine ; you will aid in every possible way those 
gentlemen to carry into effect their instructions (which are, if pos- 
sible, by communicating with the Island, to bring about a revolution 
in favour of Her Most Faitbful Majesty, Donna Maria II.); and 
if, after a certain time, it should be found that there are no imme- 
diate prospects of so desirable an event taking place, you will 
dispatch Her Most Faithful Majesty's ship Villa Flor, to commu- 
nicate the result, either to Terceira or Fayal, according to the 
wind and weather she may have, and run over yourself to the 
coast of Portugal, for the purpose of obtaining every possible 
information, with respect to the state of public feeling there, as 
well as their naval and military preparations. You will be back, 
to rejoin my flag at these islands, in the first week of April ; and 
if, during your cruise, you should fall in with vessels, whose in- 
trinsic value, or utility to serve as transports, render them worthy 
of capture, you will detain and send them to these islands ; but in 
other respects, you are not to annoy the coasting or small craft, 
always keeping in view, that the present struggle is against an 
Usurper, with a few unprincipled followers, and not a war against 
the Portuguese nation. The vessels of war of the State, some of 
which are still supposed to be cruising off Madeira, you will take, 
sink, burn, or destroy, according to the rigid rules of war. On 
leaving here, you will first make a stretch towards Lisbon, and get 
into the track of vessels between that place and Madeira, with the 
chance of picking up any Portuguese vessels of war that may have 
left it for Europe. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS, 

Brig, Villa Flor, Vice-Admiral ; Commander-in-Chief 

Schooner, Terceira. of Her Most Faithful Majesty's 

To Peter Mins, Esq., Naval Forces. 

Captain of Her Most Faithful Majesty's 

Ship Donna Maria. Port of Angra, March 11, 1832 



APPENDIX. 



293 



No. X. 

TRANSLATION OF INSTRUCTIONS. 

MINISTRY OF MARINE. 

Article I. 

Captain Mins is charged with the command of the expedition, 
consisting of the Frigate Donna Maria, brig Count de Villa Flor, 
and schooner Terceira. 

Article II. 

The object of his commission, is to proceed to the Island of 
Madeira, and then, first to lay hold of, capture, and in the last 
case, destroy the flotilla of the Lisbon Government, which it is 
said is composed of two corvettes, two store ships, and a brig ; 
second, to promote and assist any development of a counter- 
revolution to restore the legitimate authority of Her Most Faithful 
Majesty, in unison with the Member of Council, Lewis da Silva 
Mozinho d'Alberquerque, whom he will receive on board, with 
the officers, and other persons who may accompany him. 

Article III. 

Should he not meet the flotilla in those seas, nor entertain hopes 
of coming up with them, he will then employ the time that may be 
convenient to remain, in reconnoitring, with all possible exactness, 
the coasts of the said island, and of Porto Santo, examining mi- 
nutely the bay of this last island, its exposure, size, nature of the 
ground, soundings, and shelter of different winds ; as also the 
facility and means of landing, and the resources which it may offer 
in every respect. 

Article IV. 

He is to facilitate, as much as may be in his power, the landing 
of Mr. Mozinho, when he may deem convenient, and also his 



APPENDIX. 



intercourse with the shore, in order that he may fulfil the im- 
portant commission with which he is entrusted, lending him every 
assistance, in compliance with his requisitions ; as much however, 
as will allow the safety of the vessels, and of the persons employed 
in this service. 

Article V. 

In the event of the whole, or part of the squadron being taken, 
or any other Portuguese ship, the same shall he sent to this port, 
or to Fayal, adopting every precaution to prevent their evading 
themselves. 

Article VI. 

The commission being concluded at Madeira, His Imperial 
Majesty orders Captain Mins to send the brig, Count Villa Flor, 
to this Port of Angra, to acquaint him with the result ; and he 
will proceed immediately to the coast of Portugal, and there 
reconnoitre the state of that country, its forces, how they are 
placed, the disposition of the people, &c, which information 
he will endeavour to obtain from the fishermen, masters, and 
crews of the vessels he may meet, acting in every thing jointly 
with the above-mentioned Mr. Mozinho, or with the person he may 
authorise to act for him in his absence, rendering him every 
aid to establish a communication with the shore, and even to 
land, if he should require it, keeping, always, the necessary 
precautions, recommended in Article IV. 

Article VII. 

This being the season that Brazil ships generally run between 
Santa Maria and Madeira, to make the coast of Portugal ; Captain 
Mins will do his best to capture any of these, if Portuguese, more 
especially large-sized ones, as they will prove very useful for the 
transport of troops on the expedition. 



APPENDIX, 



295 



Article VIII. 

In all cases, and circumstances, His Imperial Majesty recom- 
mends, most expressly and positively, that the prisoners will be 
treated with all humanity, not to allow cruelties, or acts of 
vengeance to be practised, which the law does not authorise ; 
and further, that if, in the event of a re-action taking place in 
the Island of Madeira, an asylum will be allowed on board to all 
persons who may implore it, whatever their crimes may be, 
for which they are only to answer before the law. 

Article IX. 

Captain Mins will direct the proceedings of this expedition, 
in such a manner, that all the vessels (except any accident caused 
by a superior force) shall be back in this port, by the first week 
of the month of April next 

(Signed) AGOSTINHO JOSE FREIRE. 
Palace of Angr-a, 13th of March, 1832. 



No. XL 

To Captain Mins, 
Her most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria. 

In addition to the instructions I have given, previous to leaving 
Terceira, which are still in force, you will continue to blockade 
the Island of Madeira, particularly the Port of Funchal; in so 
doing, you will avoid, as much as possible, annoying neutral 
commerce, and confine the blockade merely to provisions, warlike 
stores, and enemy's property. The neutral vessels that may wish 
to discharge their cargoes at Porto Santo, are at liberty to do so, 
where they will have every aid from the Government, convenient 
stores, and no duty to pay. If the cargo should be entirely 



296 



APPENDIX, 



Portuguese property, you will land the same at Porto Santo, and 
give a bill upon Mr. Veitch, or on the Government of Her Most 
Faithful Majesty at Terceira, for the freightage, stating the ap- 
proaching famine of the Island as your reason for taking posses- 
sion of the cargo. You will take Her most Faithful Majesty's 
schooner Terceira under your orders, and make her cruise be- 
tween Porto Santo and Madeira. You will also send nine men 
and a midshipman to man a small gun-boat, which will be sent 
to you to fit out. In these, and all other matters for the good of 
the service, I wish you to be in perfect understanding with 
Colonel Mozinho, upon whose talents and character you may 
firmly rely. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS, 

Vice-Admiral, Commander-in-Chief 
of Her most Faithful Majesty's Naval Forces, 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria, 
off Funchal, April 11th, 1832. 



No. XII. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty'' s Ship Donna Maria IL 
off Funchal, April 14, 1832. 

Sir, 

Having picked up three boats belonging, as 1 suppose, 
to private individuals, and not wishing to distress them unneces- 
sarily, I have to state, that if you will send a flag of truce for 
them, as early as possible, they shall be delivered. 

I have the honour to be, 

Your obedient Servant, 
(Signed) PETER MINS, 
Captain. 

To His Excellency 
The Governor of Funchal. 



APPENDIX. 



297 



No. XIII. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria II., 
at Sea, May 3rd, 1832. 

Sir, 

I have the honour to acquaint you that, during the 
time I was employed blockading the Island of Madeira, according 
to your orders, I captured two of the enemy's merchant vessels, 
one on the 21st of April, the Monte de Carmo, with a general 
cargo, four days from Lisbon ; and the other on the 24th of April, 
a yacht from St. Jubes, laden with salt. As I found it impossible 
to maintain a strict blockade with one ship, notwithstanding I 
sent the boats away almost every night (the schooner being 
constantly absent), I put two of my quarter-deck guns in the 
first vessel, and manned her with fifteen men, calling her 
after you, the Admiral Sertorius. The other I gave up to 
Colonel Mozinho, as a gun-boat, for his protection at Porto Santo. 
The Admiral Sertorius is now in charge of Her Most Faithful 
Majesty's brig Conte de Villa Flor, as I found it necessary to 
take my men on board, when I left the blockading squadron. 
I trust this arrangement will meet your approbation, as also that 
of the Emperor. 

I have the honour to be, 

Your obedient Servant, 
(Signed) P. MINS, 
Captain. 

To His Excellency Vice-Admiral Sertorius, 
Commander-in-Chief, &c. &c. &c. 



No. XIV. 

To Peter Mins, Esq. 
Captain of Her Most Faithful Majesty's Frigate Donna Maria. 

You will, on the receipt of this dispatch, immediately leave 

the Island of Madeira, and proceed forthwith to Fayal, touching 
O 5 



APPENDIX. 



however at St. Michael's for instructions, which I will cause to 
be left there for your further guidance. At Fayal you will claim 
and receive all the stores, &c. destined for the use of your ship. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS, 

Vice-Admiral, Commander-in-Chief 
of Her Most Faithful Majesty's Naval Forces, 

Angra, April 25th, 1832. 



No. XV. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty 1 s Ship Donna Maria, 
Ponte Delgada, May 20th, 1832. 

Sir, 

I have to report to you the arrival of this ship at this 
port, on the 8th of this month; and, in consequence of the Em- 
peror wishing me to remain here for the protection of the merchant 
ships, have been prevented joining your flag at Fayal. I am 
endeavouring to get the ship ready for service, by procuring 
provision and stores from the shore. As you are daily ex- 
pected here, I shall not forward different papers of the prizes, 
&c, but reserve them for your arrival, which 1 hope will be soon, 
and accompanied with the Commissary-General ; for sad complaints 
are made in this ship, for the want of their pay. 

I have the honour to be, Sir, 

Your obedient Servant, 

P. MINS, 
Captain. 

To His Excellency Vicc-Admiral Sertorius, 
Commander-in-Chief, &c. 



APPENDIX* 



No. XVL 

Fayal, May 23, 1831. 

My Dear Mins, 

I have had some strong discussions with 
the Emperor, on the subject of the disappointment and opposition 
I have met with, in a variety of instances, relative to the squadron, 
particularly arising from the conduct of the Minister of Marine. 
As far as the Emperor himself is concerned, his natural disposition 
would make things go on smoothly; but he has some treacherous 
advisers, enemies to us and to our country ; against these T want 
to guard ourselves. What can the Minister of Marine have meant, 
by saying, that he was afraid of giving me offence, if he supplied 
you with provisions ! What, when an abundant supply, destined 
for the squadron, was actually at St. Michael's, that a common 
act, not only of justice, but still more so of prudence, towards 
men under my command, should cause me to be offended, is 
something so manifestly absurd, that I can only attribute one 
motive to him for the fact — that of wishing to cause mistrust and 
discontent between us. However, J shall say no more on the 
subject at present, as I shall be with you by Sunday or Monday 
next, if we can have a fair wind. Tell all your people that I shall 
pay them up when I join you, and that I am much pleased with 
the account you have given of them. I regret much, the Emperor 
has prevented you from coming here, both on account of the 
greater convenience of completing your wants, and giving your 
men a run on shore ; now, however, I am afraid it is too late. I 
must thank you for your compliment, in naming the prize after me. 
I trust we shall have some far more effectual ones before we get 
into the Tagus, as the probability is, we shall have a brush. The 
result I cannot for a moment doubt ; whilst their apparent supe- 
riority will give brilliancy to the affair. I have desired Wilcox to 
supply you and the officers with what money you may want until 



soo 



APPENDIX. 



our appearance. I have directed Hodges to give you fifty marines. 
The Eugenie (Schooner), with Wilcox pro tern, commandante, 
will be under your orders. She is a remarkably fine vessel ; she 
will have a sergeant's party of marines also. You will, of course, 
use your own best discretion to do every thing for the advancement 
and good of the service ; but you will receive no orders but 
through me, or direct from His Majesty. I have a cutter for you, 
besides a large portion of other stores, not forgetting " hard wood." 
I have also for you a boatswain, most highly spoken of, and a 
gunner, if you want one, and a carpenter and crew, all just come 
out. We shall have much to talk over, when we meet; for the 
present, adieu. 

Believe me 

Your's, very truly, 

R. G. SERTORIUS. 



No. XVII. 

(translation.) 

Minister of Marine's Office. 

His Imperial Majesty, the Duke of Braganza, has deter- 
mined, that all the vessels of war at an anchor in the roads, shall 
fire a salute to-morrow, the 28th, being the anniversary of the 
birth of His Majesty the King of Great Britain. 

(Signed) AGOSTINHO JOSE FREIRE. 

Poiite Delgada, May 27, 1832. 

To Captain Mins. 



APPENDIX. 



301 



No. XVIII. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria, 
Ponte Delgada, May 28th, 1832. 
It being His Imperial Majesty's wish, that a salute of twenty-one 
guns should he fired this day, as it is the day on which his Bri- 
tannic Majesty's birth-day is kept, you are hereby desired to 
prepare for the same at one o'clock, and to fire your first gun, 
when tl is ship shall fire her second. 

(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain, and Senior Officer. 

To the Captains and Commanders of 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ships and Vessels. 



No. XIX. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria, 
1st June, 1832. 

Sir, 

Agreeable to your order, I saluted, on your arrival, 
your flag with the usual number of guns; feeling sure you are 
quite in ignorance that no return was made, I beg leave to acquaint 
you with that circumstance, as also to state, that strange remarks, 
hurtful to the good understanding of our countrymen, one to 
another, have been made on shore in consequence. 

I have the honour to be, Sir, 

Your obedient servant, 
(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain. 

To His Excellency Vice- Admiral Sertorius, 
Commander-in-Chief, &c. &c. 



APPENDIX. 



No. XX. 

To Captain Mins, 
Her Most Faithful Majesty'' s Ship Donna Maria. 

You will permit the Brazilian ship you captured in the 
Donna Maria,' under your command, to enter the port, as early as 
the captain or owners may think it convenient. You will, how- 
ever, leave an officer in charge of her, and take from her the men 
belonging to the frigate Donna Maria. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS, 

Vice-Admiral, Commander-in-Chief, 
&c. &c. &c. 

July 13, 1832. 



No. XXI. 



A List of Men who came from the Prize, and on whom 
Money was found. 



*John Gayner. 

John Ramsey. 
*Lewis Jones. 

William Foster. 

John Williams (4). 

Henry Williams (2). 

*John Gayner "\ 
*Lewis Jones ] 
*John Gillespie J 



Augustus Ellam. 
William Frisking. 
William Matthews. 
Henry Payne. 
John Williamson. 
*John Gillespie. 



-To be noticed by the first lieutenant. 



An Account of the Money taken from the Seamen, 
15th Juhj> 1832. 

278 Spanish dollars. 
211 Brazilian ditto. 
18| Thirty-seven new crowns. 

5071 Dollars — Taken from their persons. 



APPENDIX. 



303 



20 Spanish. James Dever's (chest). 

28 Twenty-eight Spanish, j Chegt of Collin McCoy< 

4 Eight new crowns. * 

97 Spanish dollars. 1 In a bag, found under the table, 

21 Brazilian ditto. / mess No. 19. 

1 70 Dollars. 
507J 

677i Total. 

N.B. — Also some trifling things, — such as a ring, silver 
spoon, &c, taken from their persons. 

This is copied from the original, in the clerk's hand- writing. 



No. XXII. 

Eighth Article of War for the Constitutional Fleet. 

No person in the fleet shall take out of any prize, or ship seized 
as prize, any money, plate, or goods, unless it shall be necessary 
for the better securing thereof, or for the necessary use and ser- 
vice of any of Her Majesty's ships or vessels of war, before the 
same be adjudged lawful prize in some Admiralty court ; but the 
full and entire account of the whole, without embezzlement, shall 
be brought in, and judgment passed entirely upon the whole, with- 
out fraud, upon pain that every person offending herein, shall 
forfeit his share of the capture, and suffer such further punishment 
as shall be imposed by a court-martial, or such court of admiralty, 
according to the nature and degree of the offence. 



No. XXIII. 

Rainha da Portugal, Vigo Bay, 
December 30th, 1832. 
You will immediately furnish me with an account of 
all the circumstances relating to the money taken out of the Por- 



APPENDIX. 



tuguese ship, detained by you in June last ; the information you 
have obtained by any inquiries instituted on the subject; what 
sum you have been able to recover ; and also, what measures you 
adopted for that purpose since I last addressed you respecting the 
affair. 

R. G. SERTORIUS, 

Vice-Admiral, and Major-General 
of Her Most Faithful Majesty's Navy. 

To Captain Peter Mins, &c. &c. 



No. XXIV. 

Rainha da Portugal, Vigo Bay, 
January 1st, 1833. 

Sir, 

I am directed by His Excellency the Vice-Admiral, to 
request you will furnish him with your reasons why you have not 
replied to his letter of the 30th ult., in which you were ordered to 
communicate to His Excellency all the particulars relating to the 
money taken from the Brazil ship, you detained in June last. 

I remain your obedient Servant, 
E. BOID, 
Captain, and Chef de l'Etat Major. 

To Captain Mins. 



No. XXV. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria, 
January 1st, 1833. 

Sir, 

I have to state, in answer to your letter of the 30th of 
last month, that I have been endeavouring to find the papers, 
which contain all the circumstances, &c. ; but, in the absence of my 



APPENDIX. 



305 



clerk, I was not able to find them : however, the whole concern is 
placed in the hands of a competent person at Oporto, to arrange ; 
I shall therefore endeavour, in the course of the day, to furnish you 
with what you desire. 

I have the honour to be, &c. &c. 

P. MINS. 

To Admiral Sertorius. 



No. XXVI. 

72, Great Russell Street, London, 
September 30th, 1833. 

Your Excellency, 

I take the earliest moment to transmit your Excellency 
a copy of my account with Her Majesty's Government, and which 
I regret it was not before in my power to arrange, in consequence of 
Vice-Admiral Sertorius having so strangely taken possession of 
my property, in which were all the documents ; and I have only 
within a few days recovered a small part of them. I have to 
request your Excellency will be pleased to acknowledge the 
receipt of this account, as also to state if it is found satisfactory ; 
and also to assure your Excellency, I shall be glad if you will 
direct any person you may think proper, to look over my 
different documents, which I shall with pleasure submit for 
examination ; and should there be any accounts I do not know of, 
I trust I may be made acquainted with them, as I wish to place 
every thing square. 

I have the honour to be, 

Your Excellency's obedient Servant, 
P. MINS. 

To His Excellency the Minister of Marine, Lisbon. 



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306 



APPENDIX. 



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APPENDIX. 

No. XXVIII. 



307 



STANDING ORDERS, AND REGULATIONS FOR HER MAJESTY'S 
SHIP DONNA MARIA. 

r. 

The following orders I expect to be most strictly complied with. 
II. 

No man is to be struck, beat, or started, but complained of to me. 
The officers may rely on being fully supported in the execution of 
their duty. 

III. 

When I am on board, no officer is to leave the ship without my 
permission ; and I desire the uniform established by the Admiral 
is at all times worn. 

IV. 

Great care to be taken of the lights on the lower deck, gun 
room, and cabins. 

V. 

The lieutenants will find, in the night order book, instructions 
for their guidance when on duty ; but it is my most positive order 
the quarter-deck is never left without a lieutenant, at sea or in 
harbour. 

VL 

When the hands are called, on all occasions the officers are to 
attend in their stations ; see the duty carried on with alacrity and 
silence ; occasionally reporting the good and bad of the ship's 
company to me. The officer of the middle watch will not be 
expected to comply with this order before 10 o'clock. 



308 



APPENDIX. 



VII. 

The master (or officer doing that duty) is to bring the ship's 
log-book to me every day at noon, signed by the officers. He is 
to pay particular attention to the stowing of the hold, state of the 
rigging, and standing of the mast. He is to be present whenever 
the cables are bent or unbent. 

VIII. 

The officers of the marines are to inspect the marines' berths and 
hammocks every morning ; and at 9 o'clock in the evening, in 
winter, and 10 in the summer, to go the rounds, and report to me 
accordingly. 

IX. 

The surgeon, or his assistant, is to be constantly on board ; the 
sick visited frequently during the day, and to be reported to me 
every morning. 

X. 

The commissary is every Sunday morning, at divisions, to deliver 
to me an account of provisions on board. He is strictly enjoined 
to pay particular attention to the quantity and quality of the pro- 
visions served out. He is to see that the overplus of grog mixed is 
started in the scuppers ; and he is not to suffer a light to be used 
in the steward's room after 4 in the summer, and 3 in the winter: 
and at quarters every evening, he is to see, and report to me, the 
fighting lanterns being in a proper state for use. 

XL 

The first-lieutenant is never to quit the ship without my know- 
ledge or leave. He is, in my absence, to see these regulations 
attended to. I look to him in particular to enforce all orders I 
may give, either for the public service, or for the better discipline 
of the ship. 

It is my particular direction, that every officer, from the first- 



APPENDIX. 



309 



lieutenant to the smallest mid., carries a complete watch, quarter, 
station, and division list, that he may muster the station he is at ; 
especially whenever there appears to be a want of hands, and 
when a sculker is reported. 

(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain. 

Her Majesty's Ship Donna Maria, 
4th January, 1832. 



ORDERS FOR THE OFFICER OF THE WATCH. 

The officer of the watch is never to leave the deck until 
regularly relieved; he is to direct the mates or mids. of the 
watch to visit between decks, during the night, every half hour, 
and report the light, and sentries, &c. The mate, or mid. 
of the watch, is to be sent to acquaint me with every alteration of 
the wind or weather. Sails maybe shortened, but never made, unless 
I order it. He is to have the well sounded when he takes charge, 
and every two hours. The officer of the morning watch is to see 
the lower deck cleaned, and report to me when that duty is done. 
Whenever an officer boards a strange sail, he is immediately to 
close with the ship as near as the state of the weather will 
permit. 

(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain. 

Her Majesty's Ship, Donna Maria, 
4th January, 1832. 



TO THE MIDSHIPMEN. 

The following orders the mids. of the ship are to attend to. 
Whenever the hands are turned up, I expect and insist on seeing 
them the first up the hatchways, obeying all orders with alertness, 



310 



APPENDIX. 



and, above all, keeping silence among the ship's company. They 
are always to carry a watch, quarter, and station bill, hammock 
and division list, of the whole crew, ready to muster at a moment's 
warning. In the berths, order and regularity are to be observed ; 
on the quarter deck, great attention to the orders of the officer of 
the watch, and a good look out for signals, and strange sails. 
When on duty on board other ships, they are not to go below, or 
permit the men to leave the boats: on shore, they are to stay 
by the boat, and keep the men together; and to take great 
care they do not bring spirits or wine on board. The steerage 
hammocks will be up at six bells every morning. 

(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain. 

Her Majesty's Ship Donna Maria, 
4th January, 1832. 



ORDERS TO THE SHIP'S COMPANY. 

It shall be my study to make you as comfortable as I can, grant- 
ing you every indulgence in my power, when good conduct deserves 
it : seeing you are properly rated. Washing days will be allowed 
whenever the weather will permit, though no man is to wash, hang- 
up clothes, &c. without particular permission. Drunkenness, con- 
tempt, or disobedience to any officer, are crimes I shall punish 
with great severity. No man shall be struck, beat, or started ; and 
if any man has cause of complaint, either of his provisions, or any 
other thing, let him come quietly on the quarter-deck to me, and 
he may depend on justice being done him: and I wish and hope 
every man may feel a pride in the appearance of the ship ; and 
that in reefing, furling, &c. she may be beaten by none. 

(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain. 

Her Majesty's Ship Donna Maria, 
4th January, 1832. 



APPENDIX. 



311 



No. XXIX. 



MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY, 

It is with feelings of the deepest regret, that I feel myself com- 
pelled to apply to your Majesty at this period, for an investigation 
of my conduct, during the time I have had the honour of serving 
the most glorious cause ever undertaken ; but knowing your 
Majesty to have the finest feelings of honour and justice, I feel 
quite satisfied your Majesty will not refuse me my most urgent 
request, when I state to your Majesty, that my conduct, at all times 
since I have had the honour of commanding her Most FaithfulMajes- 
ty's frigate Donna Maria Segunda, has been reported to have been 
far different to that which it ought to have been from an officer 
placed in so great a charge. I am accused of constantly having 
neglected my duty, of repeatedly overstepping it, and of having 
my ship constantly in a state of mutiny. On the 3rd and 10th of 
August, when in the presence of the enemy, I am accused of not 
having done my duty. This accusation, touching my honour, and 
the honour of my officers, and ship's company, besides the honour 
of her Most Faithful Majesty's flag placed under my care, obliges 
me (in which I am joined by all my officers) to beg and entreat 
your Majesty will grant an inquiry, in any way your Majesty may 
think proper. The health and happiness of your Majesty will 
ever be the prayer of your Majesty's dutiful subject. 

(Signed) P. Wim, 

Captain 

of Her Most Faithful Majesty's 
Ship Donna Maria at Sea. 



To His Imperial Majesty, Dom Pedro. 
Duke of Braganza . 



312 



APPENDIX, 



No. XXX. 

Rainha da Portugal, at Sea, 
September 17 th, 1832. 
The Vice- Admiral regrets being under the necessity of observ- 
ing to Captain Mins, how constantly the Donna Maria is out of her 
station, both by night and day, notwithstanding the repeated 
injunctions he has already given on that subject. He cannot help 
expressing, also, how extraordinary it appears that British officers 
and seamen should manifest so much irregularity, and want of 
tact, in the face of an enemy whose skill we have been rather wont 
to despise, yet who have hitherto, during dark or daylight, observed 
the most uniform order. The Vice-Admiral therefore again 
requests that, in future, the strictest and most scrupulous attention 
may be given by the Captain and officers of the Donna Maria, to 
the preservation of that ship's station. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS, 

Vice-Admiral, Commander-in-Chief 
of Her Most Faithful Majesty's Squadron. 

To Captain Mins, 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria. 



No. XXXI. 

Off the Rock of Lisbon, Sept. 11, 1832. 

As the enemy's fleet are out, and it is uncertain whether 
they intend to communicate with Figueira, or Villa de Conde, 
the detached ships of Her Most Faithful Majesty's squadron will 
continue to cruize off Aveiro, keeping a most strict look out, by 
night and day, for vessels, or signals that may be sent or made to 
them for their further guidance. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS. 

To the Senior Officer of the detached Squadron. 



APPENDIX. 



313 



No. XXXII. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Rainha de Portugal, 
Sept. 15, 1832. Latitude 37—21. N. 

Longitude 11— 37. W. 

If any of Her Most Faithful Majesty's squadron are now 
cruizing off the Rock of Lisbon, they will keep well out in the 
offing, and widely spread during the day, to endeavour to join my 
flag, as the enemy's vessels may intend to return to the Tagus 
again ; if not, they will bear away to the northward, keeping well 
to the westward in the case of the wind being to the northward. 
As the same wind has undoubtedly prevailed at thirty or forty 
miles from the coast, in the latitude of Cape Rocca, as here, the 
several officers, or commanders of the vessels, may easily calculate 
upon the station they ought to keep, to intercept the hostile 
squadron. They must be under a press of canvass all day, and 
near each other at night ; not nearer than twenty miles from the 
land, and about sixty to the westward. If the squadron should be 
off Figueras, or Aveiro, they will remain near the latter place 
until further orders. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS, 

Vice-Admiral ; Commander-in-Chief of 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Squadron. 

To the Senior Officer, or Commander, 
of the detached Vessels belonging to 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Squadron. 



No. XXXIII. 

Oporto, September 25th, 1832. 

Sir, 

His Excellency the Minister of Marine directs that 
you proceed, with the squadron under your command, to blockade 
the Tagus. 

P 



314 



APPENDIX. 



In proceeding to the southward, you are to cover as much 
ground as possible, as it is important you should join the Vice- 
Admiral. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's brig Mindella, is sent to rejoin 
your squadron, and with her the City of Edinburgh (steamer) ; 
the latter vessel you are to send back immediately, if you do not 
meet the Admiral off the Tagus, and transmit by her, for the in- 
formation of His Excellency, any intelligence you may receive ; 
but in the event of your receiving such intelligence as will render 
the detention of the steamer necessary, it is left to your discretion, 
the Minister only reminding you, how essential it is the Govern- 
ment should have the earliest possible intelligence. 

If you meet the Liberal, off Figuera, you are to give her com- 
mander the accompanying instructions. 

I am, Sir, 
Your obedient humble Servant, 
PERCY ROSE, 
Commander and Aide-de-Camp. 

To Captain George, Commanding 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Constitution. 

No. XXXIV. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria, 
September, 27th, 1832. 

Your Excellency, 

Having parted company with Admiral Sertorius on 
the 23rd, in lat. 39., long. 12. 23., and not having any directions, 
or rendezvous, what to do in such a case, I steered for the Rock 
of Lisbon, judging it was the Admiral's intention to do so, from the 
course he steered the day before ; not being able to get any informa- 
tion of him there, and hearing from an English steam-boat, that 
our squadron was at Oporto, I thought it my duty to make the 



APPENDIX. 



315 



best of my way to that port. I now beg leave to report my 
arrival, and beg your Excellency's orders for my further proceed- 
ings. The enemy's squadron were not in sight when I last saw 
the Admiral, but were not many miles distant. 

I have, &c. 
(Signed) P. MINS, 
Captain. 

To his Excellency 
The Minister of Marines, Oporto. 

No. XXXV. 

Her Majesty's Ship Donna Maria, 
September 21th, 1832. . 

Your Excellency, 

Having this moment joined company with the squadron, 
under Captain George, I beg leave to inform your Excellency 
I have taken them under my command. I perceive, by his 
orders from you, that he is to go to Lisbon, with the intention of 
meeting the Admiral ; but, from information I have received, I 
find three boats have left the Tagus, for either Figuera, or Aveiro, 
laden with arms and ammunition. I shall therefore remain off 
Cape Mondego, to endeavour to intercept them, until I receive 
your orders, which I trust you will send me immediately, as I 
think I am as likely to meet the Admiral here as off Lisbon. Cap- 
tain Bertrand's ship is of the greatest importance to the squadron, 
I therefore trust you will send her to join me. I feel no doubt 
that with this ship, when we meet the Admiral, we shall be able 
to attack the enemy with great advantage ; when, without her, the 
enemy's superiority would be great. I need not point out to your 
Excellency the necessity of keeping our ships together, for to meet 
the enemy in any other way but altogether would be much to 
our disadvantage. I have sent the steam-boat with these letters, 



316 



APPENDIX. 



being only forty miles to the southward, and she will be sure to 
meet me with the. squadron off Cape Mondego, when I trust 
Captain Bertrand will be there also. 

I have, &c. 
(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain. 

To his Excellency 
The Minister of Marines, Oporto. 



XXXVI. 



Rainha da Portugal, 
September 2Sth, 1832, off Oporto. 
You will make every possible haste to join my flag, with 
all the ships and vessels of Her Most Faithful Majesty, that 
are now cruizing off the coast, excepting the schooner Liberal. 
You will keep the shore on board, and look out for this ship, as I 
shall endeavour to meet you. The City of Edinburgh you will im- 
mediately dispatch to me again, and the Liberal will continue to 
execute her former orders. 

(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS, 

Vice-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Squadron. 

To Captain Mins, or 
the Senior Commanding Officer of 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Vessels off Aveiros. 



No. XXXVII. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria, 
October 11, 1832, 
Forty Miles West of Bayonna Islands. 
Most Illustrious and most Excellent Senhor, 

At six o'clock yesterday morning, the enemy's squadron, 
consisting, as I stated in my last dispatch, of a ship of the 



APPENDIX. 



317 



line, a frigate, two corvettes, and two brigs, was observed to be 
standing out of Vigo Bay. I immediately got under weigh from my 
anchoring ground, within the Bayonna Islands, and stood after 
them ; I determined, notwithstanding his great superiority of force, 
to compel him to a general action, in the confident expectation 
that I should, at least, reduce his large vessels to such a state, as 
to render them unfit for service for some months to come. Ac- 
cordingly, I planned my attack with respect to my small vessels 
so as to leave myself at liberty to attack the enemy's ship of the 
line with two frigates, while my corvette should occupy the atten- 
tion of the rebel frigate ; but soon after one o'clock this morning, 
while in the act of nearing the enemy, and commencing action, the 
breeze fell off to scarcely a breath of wind, and few of the small 
vessels could take the positions I had assigned to them, and 
thereby afford me that assistance which I am certain they were 
most anxious to give. The consequence was, that the whole of 
the enemy's fire (then within grape shot range) was directed 
solely upon the frigates, and the brig Twenty-third of July, but 
more particularly on my flag-frigate, and finally upon the Portu- 
ense corvette. The enemy's fire was received and returned by 
all the officers and crews of our vessels with the most invincible 
spirit and courage during the whole of the action, which lasted 
four hours and a half. At this period, finding that my larboard 
shrouds had suffered considerably, and that some of the guns on 
the same side had become temporarily unserviceable, I proceeded 
to put about, in order to engage on the starboard side. I accom- 
plished this manoeuvre with a well-directed fire on the enemy's 
frigate. It was scarcely effected, however, when I observed that 
the enemy was crowding sail towards the south. This afforded me 
time and opportunity to repair the damage done to my rigging, 
which I am now putting in order ; and I hope, by four o'clock this 
evening, to pursue the enemy closely, and to force him to renew 
the action. It is impossible for me to find terms sufficiently ex- 



318 



APPENDIX. 



pressive to describe the coolness, bravery, and intrepidity of all 
the officers, sailors, and marines, who took part in this unequal 
conflict, especially the services afforded me by the Commander 
of my frigate, my Flag- Captain Mins, as well for his experience 
and courage during the action, as for his skill and activity in the 
work of refitting, with which he has been since occupied, I take 
the liberty of recommending him to His Imperial Majesty's high 
consideration, which he justly merits, in conjunction with Captains 
Crosbie and Morgell, as well as the Chief of my staff, Cap- 
tain Boid, and Lieutenant-Colonel Williams, commanding the 
Marines, to whose zeal, vigilance, and activity, it is impossible to 
express sufficiently how much I was indebted during the whole of 
the action. Enclosed I transmit to your Excellency a list of 
the killed and wounded in the engagement ; having to lament 
there is, among the latter, Captain Morgell, one of my bravest 
and most active officers, of whose services I must necessarily be 
for some time deprived. 

I have the honour to be, 
Your Excellency's most obedient Servant, 
(Signed) R. G. SERTORIUS, 

"Vice- Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Squadron. 

To his Excellency 
Senhor Luiz de Silva Mozinho d' Albuquerque, 
Minister of Marine. 

Return of Killed and Wounded on Board Her Most 
Faithful Majesty's Squadron. 

On board the Donna Maria II. 
Killed.— James Pitcher, Isaac Harvey, Daniel M'Cullum, Michael 

Toomey, John Wolf, John Creame (Seamen). 
Wounded, and since Dead. — Mr. William Dawson (Midshipman), 

George Allen (Seaman), William Towers (Marine). 



APPENDIX. 



319 



Seriously Wounded. — Hugh M'Call, Henry Williams, John Kelley, 
William Cox, John M'Coy, Benjamin Dixon, George Pater- 
son, John Thompson, Richard Till, Henry Jones, William 
Wainwright, Robert Moreland, William Potter, Matthew 
Sowerhy (Seamen). 

Slightly Wounded. — Vice-Admiral Sertorius, Lieutenant Ross. 
Joseph Jennings, James Robinson, Joseph Thompson, John 
Pascoe, Mark Jones, John Carpenter, Robert Rogers, Wil- 
liam Friske, Robert Easterbrook, Joseph Constance, George 
Reilly (Seamen). 

Rainha da Portugal. 

Killed. — William Gibson (Lieutenant), Henry Fitz-Henry 
(Master-at-Arms), John Scott (Seaman). 

Portuense. 
Killed. — William Collins (Seaman.) 

Seriously Wounded. — Thomas Sharpe (Lieutenant), George Glen- 
denning (Boatswain). 
Slightly Wounded. — Charles Launcet (Seaman). 

Twenty-third of July. 

Seriously Wounded. — Foord Morgell (Commander). 
Mortally wounded, and since Dead. — Joas Manoel Gonsalvez. 
Seriously Wounded. — Jose Contusao, Manoel Gomez, Jose de Ole- 
veira, Alexander Jose Lopez (Seaman). 



(Signed) GEORGE BIRMINGHAM, 

Surgeon. 



APPENDIX. 



No. XXXVIII. 

My Dear Mins, 

The Admiral requests me to say, it is his most par- 
ticular order, that the money allowed for the officers' table of the 
gun-room, shall be expended for that purpose alone; and that, 
on insinuating this to them, you will state the allowance was made 
to enable them to support the respectability of the service, which 
he (the Admiral) is most anxious to uphold. No symptoms of 
an attack, but I think much the contrary, since the arrival of our 
reinforcements (440 red jackets). A report this morning says, 
St. Julian is in the hands of Admiral Parker; too good to be 
true. I see no letters for you. I am Capitao da frigata effectivo, 
also George and Mo.rgell. Can I do any thing for you ; I may be 
here a couple of days. 

Your's truly, 
(Signed) E. BOID. 



No. XXXIX, 

Received from Captain Mins, two sovereigns, as a donation 
from Admiral Sertorius, for attendance. 

(Signed) JOSEPH CONSTANCE. 



No. XL. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty 1 s Ship Donna Maria 9 
Vigo, ISth November, 1832. 

Sir, 

Having been blown out to sea from Oporto, and 
finding the ship making sixteen feet water a day, with the main- 
mast badly wounded, I proceeded to this anchorage for the 
purpose of refitting, and arrived here the 9 th instant, about a mile 
and a half above the town, opposite a little river called Teis. I 
am proceeding with all haste to get ready for sea, but do not think 



APPENDIX. 



321 



I can possibly do so before the end of the month, as I have only 
one hundred and ninety men and officers on board, with a great 
deal of heavy work to do. I hope to finish with the rigging of 
the ship in a few days more, having fished and put part of the 
main -mast to rights ; the carpenters and watering will detain me, 
as I am obliged to stow the hold afresh, in order to careen the 
ship in different ways for their convenience, I trust you will 
send me my marines, so necessary for the preservation of disci- 
pline (several instances have occurred which without them cannot 
be prevented), as also my seamen, provisions, and stores. The 
Rainha da Portugal arrived here last monday, the 13th. The 
two frigates have been, by my order, supplied with bullocks and 
vegetables ; and I have been obliged to order a piece of wood, to 
make the cheeks of the main-mast, and a few minor articles, but am 
entirely without funds to pay for the same. I trust you will send 
money to defray these expenses. A piece of wood, to make a cat- 
head is also necessary. I have to report, that when the bower 
anchor was got up, at Oporto, it was without a fluke, thus leaving 
me with only two anchors ; there is an anchor that formerly be- 
longed to the Rainha, at Oporto, and thirty fathoms of cable, which 
I beg may be sent to me. I find every assistance is given me 
by the people on shore, but pratique is refused ; and I have 
received a letter, desiring me to leave the harbour as soon as I 
have done that which I came to do. Several letters have passed 
from and to me, all of which I shall forward when I join your flag. 

I have, &c. &c 
(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captains 

To His Excellency Vice- Admiral Sertorius. 
Commander-in-Chief. 



APPENDIX. 



No. XLI. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria, 
Vigo, 29th November, 1832. 

Your Excellency, 

Having been informed by his Excellency the Marquess 
Palmella, that bullocks would be well received by your Excellency, 
T have taken advantage of the schooner Boa Esperanza, who 
came in here, in consequence of bad weather, and by her I send 
twelve ; and shall endeavour to bring as many when I sail, which 
I trust will be in ten days time. 

I have, &c. 
(Signed) P. MINS. 

Captain, and Senior Officer. 

To His Excellency the Minister of Marine, 
Oporto. 



No. XLII. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria II., 
29th November, 1832. 
(memorandum.) 
You will proceed to Oporto with all possible dispatch, and 
deliver to the Minister of Marine, or to Admiral Sertorius, the 
twelve bullocks you have on board ; as it will be of consequence 
that you should land these bullocks, you will enter the Douro, 
notwithstanding they may fire at you ; remembering, you have a 
pilot on board, and the performance of this as quickly as possible, 
is absolutely necessary. 

(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain, and Senior Officer. 

To the Commander of 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Schooner 
Boa Esperanza. 



APPENDIX. 



No. XLIII. 

To Her Royal Highness the Infanta 
Donna Isabella Maria Braganza. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Sliip Donna Maria, 
Vigo, 30th November, 1832. 

Senhora, 

Hearing your Royal Highness is anxious to join His 
Imperial Majesty at Oporto, I am endeavouring to forward your 
wishes, by rendering you all the assistance in my power ; and I 
beg your Royal Highness will place full reliance and confidence in 
tbe person who will deliver this, who will provide you with any 
thing necessary for your journey to this place ; where I will give 
you every accommodation my frigate is able, and place you safely 
wherever you may wish. I trust your Royal Highness will not 
lose time, for my ship will be wanted for service, but should you 
wish me to remain, I shall feel it my duty to do so, and shall hope 
to receive a message from you as soon as possible. 

I am, -with the highest respect, 

Your Royal Higlmess's humble Servant. 
(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain, and Senior Officer. 



No. XLIV. 

Vigo, December, 19th, 18-32. 

My Dear Mins, 

My old friend Savory dined with me to-day, who 
informed me that the prize-money would be paid to-morrow ; and 
to my astonishment, I find that Lieutenant- Colonel Williams, by 
the Admiral's directions, is classed with us ; this appears not as 
it should be, and if you are of the same opinion, I shall be most 
willing to join you in putting a negative to this mandate oi tbe 



APPENDIX. 



Chief ; I do that, not from any dislike to Williams ; you must 
be aware that in the British service, that grade of officers are 
quite unknown in the distribution of prize-money, and we must be 
careful, before we make a precedent. Let me know, as soon as 
possible, your opinion on the subject. 

And believe me, Dear Mins, 
Your's, very truly, 
(Signed) T. SACKVILLE CROSBIE, 

To Captain Mins, 
Donna Maria. 



No. XLV. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria II., 
Uth December, 1832. 

Sir, 

I have to make known to you, that I am ordered by 
the Commander-in-Chief to assemble a court-martial, on board 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria Segunda, to-morrow 
morning, for the purpose of trying you, for charges brought against 
you by the Vice- Admiral, which charges I enclose. 

I have the honour to be, 

Your obedient Servant, 
(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain. 

To Commander P. Rose, 
Villa Flor. 



APPENDIX. 



325 



No. XXVI. 

(memorandum.) 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria, 
IWi December, 1832. 

You are hereby ordered and directed to take upon yourself the 
charge and duty of Judge-Advocate, at a court-martial ordered 
to assemble to-morrow morning, on board Her Most Faithful 
Majesty's Ship Donna Maria, at eleven o'clock. 

(Signed) P. MINS. 

Captain, 

T. Beaumond, Commissary, 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria II. 



No. XLVII. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria II, , 
Uth December, 1832. 

Sir, 

You are hereby ordered and directed to attend as a 
member of a court-martial, ordered to be assembled on board 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria Segunda, on 
Saturday, December the loth, at eleven o'clock, for the purpose of 
trying Commander Rose, for charges brought against him by the 
Vice- Admiral Commander-in-Chief. 

I have the honour to be, 
(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain, 

To Captain Crosbie, Rainha da Portugal. 

To Captain P. Bertram!, Portuense. 

To Commander BlacMston, Rainha da Portugal. 

To Commander Shute, Rainha da Portugal. 



326 



APPENDIX. 



No. XLVIII. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Brig Villa Flor, 
Uth December, 1832. 

Sir, 

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your 
letter, communicating the Vice- Admiral's orders to you to assemble 
a court-martial to-morrow morning, to try me on the charges you 
have enclosed. I beg leave to request you will be pleased to order 
Captain Tenente Auffdinier, and Lieutenant Salter, Ruxton, and 
Wooldridge, to be subpoenaed as evidences. I avail myself of this 
opportunity of reporting to you that I have neither proper accom- 
modation or privacy sufficient on board this brig to prepare my 
defence, and have to request you will be pleased to take such 
measures as you may deem necessary, for giving me the necessary 
facility to prepare my defence against such serious charges. 

I have the honour to be, Sir, 

Your obedient humble Servant, 
(Signed) PERCY ROSE, 

Captain. 

To Captain Mins, 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria. 

No. XLIX. 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Donna Maria Segunda, 
Vigo, December 23, 1832. 

My Dear Serpa, 

Being about leaving the Portuguese cause, in consequence 
of the conduct of the Commander-in-Chief, I wish to take some steps 
respecting the small portion of money (saved) that was, by the men 
of this ship, stolen from the Portuguese shipCommercio Maritimo 
(which I mentioned to you before), detained by me off the Bar of 
Oporto, the day we landed the troops near that town. The sum I 



APPENDIX. 



327 



have, is something more than 600 dollars, taken from our men on their 
return from the prize, when she was ordered to enter the Douro. 
I leave all these inquiries with you ; and shall be glad to return the 
money I have to the rightful owners, whenever they can be found, 
which I trust you will do. The money I have long since sent to 
England, of which the Admiral approved, as it was inconvenient 
to keep so much on board. My address will be, in England, 72, 
Great Russell- street, Bloomsbury, London, where I shall attend 
to any thing you may write. I trust you have received my letter, 
written to you about the court-martial. It will, no doubt, have a 
good appearance in the English prints. I wish you every possible 
success, and shall ever be 

Your's most sincerely, 
(Signed) P. MINS. 



No. L. 

(memorandum.) 

Bayonna Island, 
December 27, 1832. 
The squadron of Her Most Faithful Majesty, being composed 
entirely of British, the Commander-in-Chief trusts that the 
officers will conform to the English Navy, by shaving their 
beards and mustachios. 

(Signed) R. BLACKISTON. 



No. LI. 

Donna Maria, 
Vigo, December 31st, 1832. 

Sir, 

Having this day heard that you have made strange, in- 
jurious, and inaccurate observations, respecting the discipline of 



APPENDIX. 



the ship, by stating it would be dangerous to come on board her> 
as one would get knocked down immediately on getting on the 
gangway : and feeling sure the most unfounded impressions have 
been made by some base backbiter, I must request you, as a 
British officer, to give me your informant's name, with the parti- 
culars of so foul an insinuation ; and also, by coming on board the 
ship yourself, to be enabled to form an opinion of the person who 
would poison your ears with so base and unlikely a thing. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 
(Signed) P. MINS. 

To Commander Masses 
Dom Pedro. 

No. LIL 

Vigo, January I4<th, 1833, 

Sir, 

It is with horror and surprise I have this day been 
told that I am accused of having embezzled money from a prize 
taken by the Donna Maria. As a naval officer, how you can dare 
lay such an unfounded accusation to me, I am at a loss to tell. 
But, Sir, since you do dare, I must state it to be the blackest 
falsehood possible ; and when you can act with justice, and place 
me before a court composed of all the captains of the service, you 
will find me ready and most willing. You have also stated, I 
have run from my ship. Now, Sir, having been superseded by 
you, you having read the other captain's order to the ship's com- 
pany, and having been discharged from the ship, I do not consider 
myself under your orders in any way, but from your unjust conduct, 
acting contrary to the rules of the British navy, I have just 
fears that the court you would bring me before, would be con- 
stituted in the most unlawful manner, by those officers you have 
lately appointed to the command of your ships,-^-! therefore 



APPExVDIX. 



329 



refused to see any one, but was not secreted, being in a cabin 
with nine bed-places. Your captains are not eligible to try me, 
the senior captain in the service. I have therefore a right to 
demand a full court, composed of all the captains in Her Ma- 
jesty's navy, before which court it will be my most anxious wish 
to appear ; but before any unlawful court, I will not, except by 
force, and then I shall only protest against the tyrannical pro- 
ceedings. You have taken possession, I understand, of all my 
things from the steamer. Now, Sir, I expect, since you have 
committed so dishonourable a thing as to take my private pro- 
perty, you will have honour enough to give them up to Captain 
Penlerich immediately, in the same state as when I left them. 
When you can make up your mind to act with honour and jus- 
tice, by causing a court to be composed of all the Captains in the 
service, you will find me ready to appear before them, but never 
before an unlawful court. Any accounts I may have left un- 
settled, was in consequence of the unlawful and sudden manner 
I was removed from my ship, but my cards were left with the 
ship's company, and you knew my address, as also the Govern- 
ment at Oporto, to whom I had written respecting the money of 
the prize some time before leaving my ship. If you can act with 
justice, I shall not flinch any inquiry, though I have too much 
reason to doubt your honourable feeling. 

I am, Sir, 
(Signed) P. MINS. 

To Vice-Admiral Sertorius. 

No. LIIL 

TRIAL BY COURT-MARTIAL. 

At a court-martial held at tbe Intendant of Marine, at Yillar, 
in the City of Oporto, on Thursday, the 18th of April 1833, 
President — Brigadier-G eneral Pizarro. 



330 



APPENDIX. 



Court — Brigadier-General Ferreri ; Brigadier-General Pereira ; 
Brigadier-General Reboxo ; Brigadier- General Moscozo ; Bri- 
gadier-General Arraes. 

Judge-Advocate — Senhor d'OIiveira. 

Prosecutors — The Ministers. 

Prisoner — Captain Peter Mins. 



The Court having been assembled, the Judge- Advocate read 
the following letter from Vice- Admiral Sertorius to the Minister 
of Marine, which contained the charges on which the prisoner 
demanded a court-martial : — 

Her Most Faithful Majesty's Ship Rainha da Portugal, 
February 7th, 1833. 

Sir, 

In consequence of repeated conduct of a nature highly 
injurious to the service of Her Most Faithful Majesty's navy, 
most destructive to all discipline, and most insulting as well as 
dishonourable towards me, his Commander-in-Chief, I was under 
the necessity of superseding Captain Mins until the pleasure of 
His Imperial Majesty was made known, or until a court-martial 
could be held, and for which purpose I place him under an arrest. 
Notwithstanding this latter circumstance, since that period Cap- 
tain Mins (although aware that all the ship's books and papers, 
relative to the stores, and payment of men, required being authen- 
ticated by him) thought proper to refuse seeing any of my 
officers, or receiving from them my commands, and has, in the 
most unofficer-like manner, clandestinely absented himself from 
the squadron, thereby leaving unexplained a robbery of, I am 
told, ten thousand dollars, committed by a portion of his crew in 
a Portuguese ship, and which he has refused, after repeated 
orders, to give me any account of, or to state the sum he was 



APPENDIX. 



331 



able to recover according to my directions, or the means he 
adopted for the purpose of effecting such recovery. The contents 
of a letter I have received from him, dated Vigo, are of the most 
insulting nature, in which he says he has left his cards of address 
in England for the settlement of all pecuniary affairs with the 
officers and men, although he had large sums of money with him. 
In the same letter, also, Captain Mins refuses to appear, unless 
that which he knows cannot be granted to him will be acceded, 
namely, a court-martial composed of all the officers, botb Portu- 
guese and English, of Her Most Faithful Majesty's service, which 
is evidently only a subterfuge, he being well aware, that the laws 
of the two navies are different, and that a court-martial upon the 
same principle as that which tried Captain Rose, whose legality 
he acknowledged by sitting as president, must be equally legal for 
him, the more particularly as the British laws only admit of one 
principle for the formation of a court-martial on military persons, 
from the admiral down to the sailor. 

There are circumstances also connected with the robbery already 
alluded to, of a nature to bear powerfully on Captain Mins*s 
character as a gentleman and an officer ; — I beg to add, I have 
already convicted Captain Mins (and he is guilty by his own 
acknowledgment) of having torn a leaf out of the ship's log-book, 
a journal of the events and proceedings of the vessel, considered, 
I believe, in all marines, a book almost as sacred as the scrip- 
tures ; and to have inserted, in lieu of the original account, a 
most atrocious falsehood, intended to injure my character, and 
calculated to introduce disunion between the ships' companies of 
the squadron ; also of having repeatedly spoken in a most dis- 
respectful manner of me, without alleging any earthly motive for 
such conduct, but the supposition that I was his enemy, which I 
proved to be most false and ungrounded. Judging, however, from 
circumstances, that it would be better for my own feelings to be 
smothered, tban the public service should suffer, I accepted the 



332 



APPENDIX. 



apology he made before all the superior officers of the squadron, 
restored him the commission he had given up, gave him my hand, 
and in a few days after returned to my own ship. 

Since then his conduct has been such as I have described in 
the commencement of my letter, and which obliged me to resort 
to the measure of superseding him ; I therefore, as a duty I owe 
to my own character, as well as for the proper maintenance of 
military discipline, have now to request, as Captain Mins has thus 
absented himself from the service, and refused also to appear, 
that he may sacrifice his claims to be any longer considered an 
officer in the service of Her Most Faithful Majesty's navy, and 
that His Imperial Majesty will be pleased to authorise me publicly 
to announce the same. 

I have the honour to remain. 

Your Excellency's obedient Servant, 
(Signed) R. G. SERTOR1US, 

Vice- Admiral and Major-General of 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Navy. 

To His Excellency the Minister of Marine. 



The following letters were then read : — 

Vigo, Lord of the Isles ( Steamer ), 
Feb. Uth, 1833. 

My Dear Boid, 

Having settled every thing in England, I am now 
ready to answer any charges the Admiral may bring against me 
before a lawful court-martial, and according to the British laws ; 
and for that purpose I am here, attended by a legal adviser. I 
shall be glad to see you, and have the charges sent me as soon as 
possible, 

And remain your's truly, N 
(Signed) P. MINS. 

To Captain Boid, 
Secretary to Admiral Sertorius. 



APPENDIX. 



333 



Cosmo's Hotel, Oporto, Feb. 22nd, 1833. 

Your Excellency, 

Having heard the Commander-in-Chief has laid heavy 
charges to me, since superseding me from my ship, I wrote him, 
to say I was ready to answer any of them ; and, waiting some days 
without getting an answer, I determined to come here, and now 
beg to report myself to your Excellency, and to state myself ready 
to answer any and every charge that may be preferred against me, 
And have the honour to be, 

Your Excellency's humble Servant, 
(Signed) P. MINS. 

To His Exellency the Minister of Marine. 



Oporto, Feb. 23rd, 1833- 

Your Excellency, 

I have to request your Excellency will order and 
direct the Vice-Admiral commanding Her Majesty's ship to 
furnish me immediately with the charges he intends to prefer 
against me, to enable me to make all necessary preparations for 
my trial ; and I have also to beg you will order my trunks, &c, 
taken by the Admiral, to be sent me, for without my papers I can 
do nothing. 

I have the honour to be, 

Your Excellency's humble Sen-ant, 
(Signed) P. MINS. 

To His Excellency the Minister of Marine. 

Oporto, Feb. 25th, 1833. 

Your Excellency, 

I have to request your Excellency will be good 

enough to furnish me with the copies of the Vice-Admiral Com- 
mander-in-Chief's dispatches respecting the two naval actions of 
the 10th of August, and the 11th of October, 1832, 
And have the honour to be, 

Your Excellency's humble Servant, 
(Signed) P. MINS. 

To His Excellency the Minister of Marine. 



334 



APPENDIX, 



Oporto, March 27th, 1833. 

Your Excellency, 

I have to request your Excellency will be good 
enough to order me to be furnished with copies of the letters 
written to the Minister of Marine, by the late Vice-Admiral and 
Commander-in-Chief, complaining of my conduct, and which letters 
are so necessary for me to refute the false insinuations contained 
in them. 

I have the honour to he, 

Your Excellency's humble Servant, 
(Signed) P. MINS. 

To His Excellency the Minister of Marine. 



March 27th, 1833. 

Your Majesty, 

Having been unlawfully removed, by the late Vice- 
Admiral, from the command of the ship entrusted to me by your 
Majesty, and having failed in every attempt to get a lawful court- 
martial, according to the British navy, to inquire into the charges 
brought against me by him, I beg your Majesty will forward my 
anxiety to assist the good cause I have been so long engaged in, 
by ordering a court, according to the Portuguese laws, to inquire 
into the charges contained in the Admiral's letters, and for the 
good of the country ; and, in consequence of the conduct of the 
Admiral, I, for this charge, will renounce that particular clause 
under which I am serving. 

Wishing health and happiness to your Majesty, 

I am your Majesty's dutiful Subject, 
(Signed) P. MINS, 

Captain de Mar and Guerre. 

To His Imperial Majesty, 
Dom Pedro, Duke of Braganza. 

The Judge- Advocate now read the order for the court-martial ; 
and as there were no witnesses to defend the prosecution, the 
court decided a letter should be sent to Vice- Admiral Sertorius, 
ordering him to send them on shore ; and at the same time 



APPENDIX. 



335 



acquainted the prisoner, the Portuguese law gave him a week to 
do so, and, as he is at this moment off the bar of Oporto, no 
doubt he would do so at once. The court then adjourned until he 
made his reply to the letter they wrote and sent him. 



Thursday, May the 9th, 1833. — The Court again assembled, 
being now twenty-one days since it adjourned, and fourteen days 
more than the law admitted, to give the Vice-Admiral full time, 
when the Judge- Advocate read the Admiral's reply, which stated, 
many of the witnesses had left the service, and the others he 
could not spare, &c. The prisoner stated, that his own steward 
and other servants were on board the squadron, kept as prisoners, 
to prevent their coming, notwithstanding they had been discharged 
from the ship with himself, and that all his papers were detained 
on board the squadron by the Vice-Admiral. The Court informed 
the prisoner all that would go in his favour, and that he need give 
himself no more trouble, for since the Vice-Admiral refused to 
substantiate his charges, he was entitled to an acquittal. The 
prisoner thanked the Court, but stated his wish was to make the 
subject as public as possible, as the charges were of a nature 
touching his reputation as a gentleman and an officer. He, there- 
fore, trusted the Court would allow him to read his defence and 
examine his witnesses. The Court said the thing was too clear, 
but they would do so with pleasure, since it was wished ; when the 
defence was read by a friend of the prisoner, it being written in 
Portuguese. 

translation of defence. 
Mr. President, and Gentlemen, 

It is one of the most difficult things in the world to disprove 
charges in absence of witnesses and papers ; however, notwith- 
standing these difficulties, I shall endeavour to show the charges 



336 



APPENDIX. 



in the Vice- Admiral's letter to be as false and groundless as they 
are vexatious and vindictive. To make my defence as difficult as 
he can, he has, in a manner I shall allow the world to judge, 
deprived me of all my papers and private property, by seizing 
them from a British vessel, where I had been sent by his own 
permission, nor have I been able to obtain them since ; and he 
has also refused to send witnesses on shore, although ordered to do 
so. I must, therefore, beg the Court will take these circumstances 
into their consideration, for with these papers and witnesses I 
should have been able to have clearly disproved, to my own 
satisfaction, when without them I shall have great trouble. How- 
ever, from the honourable men I now stand before, I have nothing 
to fear. The Vice- Admiral states, " That in consequence of 
repeated conduct highly injurious to the service, &c. he was under 
the necessity of superseding me from my ship," &c. &c. In the 
first place, I am serving according to the rules of the British navy, 
and I will show by its laws the Vice- Admiral could not remove 
me from my ship, whatever might have been my conduct. Had I 
the officers of the Donna Maria here, I should have been 
delighted to prove what my conduct had always been, feeling sure 
that by so doing I should elevate myself in the opinion of the 
brave people I have the honour to serve, as also by them to show 
I was never placed under arrest. I allowed myself to be removed 
from the ship, because I wished to leave her, and had resigned 
her to the Admiral, about ten days before, for many reasons, 
feeling quite sure my naval credit would be in danger under him ; 
as also from his conduct to me, in consequence of my being 
president at Captain Rose's court-martial. But had I supposed 
he meant to put me under arrest, I should have refused to leave 
my ship, and should have been right in doing so, by the British 
laws. Thus do I declare I wa s never placed under arrest ; but, 
in the absence of witnesses, let me ask, has he sent any written 
copy of the order he gave me, to consider myself so ? or, any 



APPENDIX. 



337 



copy of any order he gave to any officer that I was so ? If he has 
not, I natter myself my word will he found as good as his. It 
will be found, on inquiry, that, to arrange papers, &c, when a 
captain leaves his ship, will take some days, and the other officer 
ought to be present. I was ordered to leave the ship in three 
hours, and the other officer was ordered not to join until I had 
left. I was therefore unable to make these arrangements, and 
nothing left but to leave my address with the officers and men, to 
enable them to find me at any future period. The Vice- Admiral, 
in his letter, wishes to cast a slur on me for not having made these 
arrangements, but, on reflection, his ordering me to leave the ship 
in three hours, will show ignorance on his part, by supposing it 
would be possible to do so. The Vice- Admiral states, " that I 
left a robbery committed by some of my men, to the amount of 
ten thousand dollars, unexplained." Now I shall call upon a 
witness to prove that I wrote him a letter (about the time I had 
resigned my ship, which was about ten days before the Vice- 
Admiral tries to make it appear he removed me for the good of 
the service), begging him to make every inquiry in his power, 
and to let me know to whom I was to pay the sum I had been 
able to recover ; and also by letter before, on the same subject, I 
will also prove what means I took to recover this money. The 
Vice-Admiral, in this complaint, has quite forgotten he had 
nothing to do with the affair, except ordering a court-martial to 
try the robbers, which I could not get him to do when I reported 
the circumstance to him, as soon as possible after it took place 
(about two days after). I never intend to allow the Vice-Admiral 
to have any thing to do with my private affairs, and this was 
certainly one. I became trustee of the money, nor could I give 
it up, until I was doing so to the owner, or an authorised person. 
I hope, therefore, to clear this point, as it is one of the greatest 
importance to my character, in the way the Vice-Admiral has 
stated it ; particularly as in another part of his letter he insinuates, 



338 



APPENDIX. 



" there are circumstances which bear powerfully on my character 
" as a gentleman and an officer," although he does not name one. 

The Vice-Admiral states, that I " refused to be tried, unless 
" it was by all the officers of the service, both the Portuguese and 
" English — which," he states/' is a subterfuge" — and, that as I "sat 
" as president on Captain Rose's court-martial, that which was 
" legal for one was legal for the other." The Vice- Admiral, I 
suppose, has read my letter wrong, for I there claim a court- 
martial of all the officers of the navy, according to the laws of the 
British service, and this, I think, does not allude to the Portu- 
guese officers, particularly as he pays my understanding the 
compliment of saying, — " I am aware the laws are different." — 
I should have been most happy to have been tried by the same 
Court that tried Captain Rose; but the Vice-Admiral forgets 
that when that court-martial was over, he said, " I must never 
attempt to try another officer after this," — and that he then 
gets rid of all those officers, and appoints acting captains to 
all his ships. It was by those acting captains, without any com- 
missions at all, I would not allow myself to be tried — for this 
would not be according to the laws of the British service — and 
as the Vice-Admiral seems to act by no law, but his own whim, 
it was necessary to appeal for protection from a higher quarter. 

The Vice-Admiral states, — "he has convicted me of tearing 
" a leaf out of the log-book, and inserting an atrocious falsehood, 
" intending to injure his character," &c. A leaf was removed 
from the book; but before it is considered as a part of the 
ship's log-book, it is to be signed by the lieutenants, and approved 
of by me ; this was not done, but, on the contrary, it was dis- 
approved of by all. It was the account of the action on the 
10th of August. The following day, it was brought to me by 
the master, who was not a naval man, and therefore not aware 
of what was necessary in giving the minutes of a naval action. 
I said, " This is not the thing at all. You here state where 



APPENDIX. 



339 



a man was wounded, and where a shot hit the ship ; leave 
that for the surgeon and carpenter to do. Your duty is to 
give the relative positions and movements of the ships of the 
two squadrons." I then told him to have that done by all the 
officers, and when they approved of it, and signed it, to bring 
it to me : — this he did. However, the Vice-Admiral carefully 
omitted all this ; and I shall here prove, that this circumstance 
was brought before an inquiry, and arranged before all the 
captains of the ships, when the Vice-Admiral, in giving me 
his hand, placed the other on his heart, and said, — " I give 
you my honour, all that has taken place up to this moment, 
shall never be mentioned or thought of again. How he kept 
his honour, I shall leave others to judge. But since he has 
mentioned this circumstance, I shall now state — all the officers 
of the Donna Maria are ready to prove the correctness of that 
statement in the log, which he states to be injurious to his 
character ; and as to my having repeatedly spoken of him in a 
disrespectful manner, I could, with any person who had been 
in the Donna Maria, prove how much I had supported him 
before the ship's company, particularly in one instance, where 
the seamen called on me, in the presence of the enemy's squadron, 
to command them, stating their fears of going into action with 
the Admiral. I shall now, with the permission of the court 
call on the few witnesses chance has left me, to prove the 
correctness of all I have here stated ; and shall take great pains 
and pleasure in doing so, to show as much as possible my 
conduct during the time I have had the honour to command 
Her Most Faithful Majesty's Frigate Donna Maria II., un- 
der the difficulties every captain in the squadron found to 
endeavour to counteract that unfortunate jealousy, which has 
done so much harm, both privately and publicly. And when 
these few witnesses are examined, I shall leave that honour 
which descended to me from my father, in your hands, feeling 



340 



APPENDIX. 



sure, in doing so, I shall leave it to honourable men ; and that 
you will consider the circumstance of my being deprived wilfully 
of papers and witnesses, and that every difficulty has been 
placed in my way to refute the gross charges of the Vice- 
Admiral, and who has declined substantiating them, although 
ordered to do so, thereby clearly proving his inability. I there- 
fore trust the judgment you will pronounce will be such as to 
mark these things strongly. I now, gentlemen, fearlessly leave 
my fate to you, my companions in arms, who, like myself, are 
fighting the honourable battle of liberty. 

The prisoner then called Major-General Sir John Milley 
Doyle, and Senhor Serpa, to state what the captain of the 
Portuguese ship (Commercio Maritimo) had said to them relative 
to the money ; when they stated, that he said,—" The ship 
Commercio Maritimo, which he was master of, was detained by 
the frigate Donna Maria, and he was taken on board the frigate 
late at night, and sent back to his own ship the next morning ; 
soon after he was sent on shore by order of Mr. Fitz Costa, 
the midshipman in charge. He was informed that five thousand 
dollars, more or less, had been taken from the trunks of pas- 
sengers ; and that he saw a short man (a boatswain's-mate), 
and a tall man with one eye (also a boatswain's-mate), take 
money from the trunks ; and a midshipman took a box containing 
gold and silver; and the reason he did not inform Captain 
Mins of what was going on, is, that the said Fitz Costa would 
not allow him, and sent him away to prevent it. — Captain Mins 
never came on board the ship." 

Senhor Serpa also produced letters written to him by the 
prisoner some time before he left his ship, begging him to 
make inquiries relative to the money he had been able to recover 
from the seamen (near seven hundred dollars), and to let 
him know, as soon as possible, where and to whom he was 
to pay it. 



APPENDIX. 



341 



Lieutenant Salter (late of the Villa Flor) was called, to 
state what he knew relative to the prisoner leaving his ship. 
He said, — "He left the ship, having been discharged, with 
his servants, by order of the Admiral ; but he never heard of 
his having been placed in arrest. He saw the lieutenants of 
the Donna Maria pulling Captain Mins in his boat from the 
ship to the steamer, and he heard the Donna Maria's men 
cheering. He also knew that in September last, a court of 
inquiry had taken place on Captain Mins, relative to the ship's 
log-book ; and that it was settled by the Admiral and Captain 
Mins shaking hands." 

Lieutenant Centurine (late of the Donna Maria) was asked, 
relative to the Court of Inquiry, when he gave the statement as 
above. On being asked, what means were taken to discover the 
money stolen by the men, he said, Captain Mins ordered all men 
leaving the ship should be searched ; and that at Vigo, he removed 
everything in the ship's hold, even the tanks and the ballast, 
placing a midshipman there to keep a look-out; he always sup- 
ported the Admiral, at all times, before the ship's company. 

Sergeant Hogan of the marines (late of the Donna Maria) was 
called. He was asked if he was one of the men who signed a 
letter to Captain Mins, when in presence of the enemy's squadron, 
about September last, which caused Captain Mins to turn the 
hands up ? He answered, Yes. On being asked why that letter 
-was written, he stated, the men were dissatisfied with the Admiral's 
conduct in the last action; and were afraid, if they went into 
action, he would do as he did last time — lead us in, haul his wind, 
and leave us there, to fight it out by ourselves. On being asked 
what was Captain Mins's reply, he said, Captain Mins told Davie 
(captain of the forecastle), that he would not allow the Admiral 
to be spoken of in that manner, and any man in the ship who 
should dare to speak of the Commander-in-Chief in such a way 
again before him, he would blow his brains out — for it is mutiny to 



342 



APPENDIX. 



the highest degree. It was not for seamen to give their opinion 
of the conduct of the Commander-in-Chief. Captain Mins said a 
good deal more, and then sent the men away ; we went away very 
much dissatisfied ; and a number of the men called out, " We will 
go into action with you, Captain Mins, whenever you like, but the 
Admiral will only take us in, and then leave us to ourselves to 
fight it out, as he did last time." 

On being asked, if Captain Mins had ever spoken disrespectfully 
of the Admiral, he answered — " Never to my knowledge ; before 
the ship's company he always supported him, and made excuses 
for him for not paying us, and for not keeping his promises to us, 
and would never allow any one to speak against him." 

The prisoner now stated to the court he had several more men 
belonging to the Donna Maria, who were on shore, from wounds 
and other causes ; but, as they could only state the same as the 
last witness, he would not call them, for it was not his intention to 
show the Admiral's conduct, more than necessary to defend his 
own. The prisoner then put before the court the Chronica Con- 
stitucional of Oporto, containing the Admiral's dispatch, after the 
last naval action ; and said he had nothing more to say, but would 
leave his fate in their hands. 

The Court was then cleared, and after about half-an-hour's 
deliberation the doors were again opened, and the following 
Judgment was first read in Portuguese, and then translated to the 
prisoner : — 

TRANSLATION OF THE JUDGMENT. 

At the head-quarters of the Intendente of Marine at Villar, in 
the city of Oporto, will be found the process of the court-martial 
held on Peter Mins, Esq. Capitao Mar & Guerre in Her Most 
Faithful Majesty's service ; his examination, the charges brought 
against him, all the interrogations and depositions of the wit- 



APPENDIX. 



343 



nesses; and, without one dissenting voice, the court decide the 
charges unfounded, not being substantiated by proof, and in 
consequence of the depositions of the witnesses for the prisoner, 
their answers, which the court judge to be perfectly satisfactory ; 
and lastly, the important document produced by the prisoner, the 
Constitutional Chronicle of Oporto of the 13th of October, 1832, 
in which it may be clearly seen, that the prisoner has served, with 
much constancy and honour, the noble cause we are all pledged 
to defend. And that the prisoner is tried by the Portuguese laws 
in consequence of his having petitioned Her Most Faithful 
Majesty's Government for that purpose, and which they thought 
proper to grant. 

The court, after mature deliberation, declare the conduct of the 
prisoner to be spotless and undefined, and his defence well grounded. 

(Signed by) 
Joaquim Pizarro, President, Brig.-Gen. 
Guelherme Ferreri, Brig.-Gen. 
Francisco Pereira, Ditto. 
Manuel da Silva Reboxo, Ditto. 
Don Bartholomew Moscozo, Ditto. 
Luiz Pinto Arraes, Ditto. 
Antonio D'Oliveira, Judge Advocate. 
Oporto, May 9th, 1833. 



LIV. 

Vigo, December 5th, 1832. 
The Vice- Admiral cannot but feel grieved, to find 
that so many of his countrymen, who have so long and so faithfully 
served the cause, are now desirous of deserting him at so critical 
a conjuncture as the present, and is, consequently, anxious to 
address to them the following few words on the occasion : — 



344 



APPENDIX. 



It is quite impossible, in our present position, and under 
existing circumstances, that my crews can be granted their 
discharge. The question now, is not respecting a few weeks more 
or less continuance in the service, or as to the quantity of wages 
clue ; but whether we, as Englishmen, will basely desert a cause 
of humanity, and leave a large flourishing city to be reduced to 
ashes, and tamely permit a population of 200,000 men, women, 
and children, to be massacred and annihilated, by a brutal, blood- 
thirsty soldiery, which Dom Miguel, the most atrocious of tyrants, 
has solemnly vowed shall be their fate, if he can succeed in taking 
Oporto. No ! I am sure every seaman under my command 
possessing the common feelings of a man, will exclaim, with me, 
it shall not be. But to prove to you I am not unwilling to listen 
to your wishes, I will undertake to promise, that if, before the end 
of March, the cause is not finally decided, I will give to all those 
who may then wish to leave me, their discharge, with all arrears 
of pay. 

R. G. SERTORIUS, 

Vice-Admiral, and Major-General. 



346 



APPENDIX. 



No. LVI. 

20th of July, 1833. 

Sir, 

T am desired, on the part of Captain Mins, to address 
you, and to state, that the moment Captain Mins heard you had 
left for England, without landing at Oporto, he immediately got 
permission from the Minister of Marine to follow you ; and now 
finding you are in France, he has deputed me to state, the in- 
sulting insinuations contained in your letter to the Minister of 
Marine, are such as to require either a written apology, or the 
usual satisfaction. You make use (with other expressions) of 
the term "atrocious falsehood;" and as Captain Mins demanded a 
court-martial, on the charges contained in your letter, and 
received a most honourable acquittal, you having had full notice 
and time to substantiate them, if you could; you are thereby 
bound to give some explanation or satisfaction for those insulting 
terms. I have therefore, on the part of Captain Mins, to request 
you will immediately send an apology, or state your readiness to 
give the usual satisfaction ; in which case Captain Mins will im- 
mediately proceed to any place you may name ; and I have to 
request you will favour me with the name of your friend, and to be 
so good as to answer this by return of post, and am 

Your obedient Servant, 

(Signed) W. H. BROWNSON. 

To Admiral Sertorius, 
Brest, France 



APPENDIX. 



347 



No. LVII. 

Harley-street, Friday Evening, 
10th August, 1833. 

My Dear Sir, 

I must apologise for not having earlier forwarded your 
note, which I have this moment received, enclosed in one from 
Admiral Sertorius, and, on account of my having been during the 
last ten days travelling about, did not reach me before. I have 
called at Wood's Hotel twice, in the hopes of delivering your's in 
person, but without success ; I therefore at length determined to 
leave it in charge of the waiter, as I am only in town for the night, 
and leave early to-morrow morning for Sussex. I was not aware 
that you were in this country, or even that you were in this world, 
having heard vague reports, that you were numbered with the slain 
at Oporto ; and I assure you I deeply regret the cause which now 
makes me acquainted with your return, on which subject I should 
have much liked a few minutes' conversation with you; I hope, 
however, on my return through town, I shall still be able to do so. 

I remain, your's truly, 

E. BOID. 

To Major Brownson. 



No. LVIII. 

Hotel des Etats Generaux, 

Rue St. Anne, Paris. 

Sir, 

In reply to your letter of the 20th of July, relative to 
Captain Mins, which I have only just received, I beg to make the 
following observations : — The expression, " atrocious falsehood," 
was made use of by me to Captain Mins, in August or Sept. 
last, 1832, upon the occasion of discovering that Captain Mins 



348 APPENDIX. 

had torn out the original statement from the log-book, of an 
encounter with the enemy's squadron, and inserted a false one, 
dishonourable to myself and the officers and crew of the Rainha. 
At the time of making use of the expression in question, I told 
Captain Mins, that if I was not borne out by facts, to justify me 
in what I had said, I should wave every kind of privilege, and 
meet him whenever he pleased. Many of my officers can vouch 
for this, who were present at the time. To avoid a court-martial, 
Captain Mins, before the principal officers of the squadron assem- 
bled for the occasion, made me a strong apology, requesting me 
to look over his past conduct, and begged me to consider him in 
the same light as upon our first acquaintance. I unwisely ac- 
cepted the apology. Upon my hoisting my flag on board of his 
ship, he was the first to call out to his men to give the Admiral 
three cheers. In the second place, Captain Mins could not be 
tried by any other laws but British Naval Laws. An article of 
the cantract with the Portuguese Government expressly stipu- 
lated that the British Naval Laws and usages were to regulate 
and guide the auxiliary force under my command. It would be 
a waste of words, to point out the burlesque absurdity of causing 
a British Naval officer to be tried for Naval crimes, as well as 
others, by a Court composed of Portuguese Military officers, inde- 
pendent of its injustice, and when the legal court was at hand. I 
consequently refused to either send my evidences, which would 
have been almost all my squadron, or to acknowledge the legality 
of the Court. The result was naturally such as must take place 
under such circumstances, a simple acquittal, not an honourable 
one, for "want of evidence" (Folta de Prova), as may be proved 
by the Oporto Gazette. Captains Crosbie and Bertrand both re- 
fused to give their evidence before a Court so constituted. I 
believe I may attribute, correctly, Captain Mins's quitting Oporto, 
more to my brave and gallant successor refusing to employ him 
in any way, than to other causes. 



APPENDIX 



349 



I have therefore to add, in conclusion, that the deep stains upon 
Captain Mins's previous character — his desertion from the 
squadron under circumstances of the most painful nature to an 
officer and a gentleman — his evading in every way appearing 
before a Court composed of his countrymen, sheltering himself 
under a burlesqued one, where he well knew I neither should, or 
could ever appear, both from its incompetency and illegality — 
alike obliges me to declare that I can neither grant for the pre- 
sent either one or the other of the alternatives you propose to me. 
If Captain Mins, however, will procure the names of any of the 
Senior officers of his profession, upon our mutual statements being 
made before them, to sanction his claims to satisfaction, I shall 
then be happy to meet him. 

I have the honour to be, 
Sir, your most obedient Servant, 

G. R. SERTOR1US. 

July 29th. 

Major Brovmson, 
Wood's Hotel, Panton Square. 



No. LIX. 

Sir, 

In reply to your letter of the 29th last month, which 
I only received three days ago, I must, in justification of Captain 
Mins's character, make these observations. Following your letter ; 
the expression " atrocious falsehood," can never be permitted 
between gentlemen or officers, on any occasion, whether there 
is cause or not; and I find the time, and which is the only time 
Captain Mins heard of it, is in a letter of your's to the Minister 
of Marine, dated the 7th of February last; and as it alluded 
to that which appeared in the ship's log, to the truth of which 



350 



APPENDIX. 



(I understand), all the officers of the Donna Maria declared to 
you, when you asked them respecting it at the time, and your 
remark was, — "Then gentlemen, I am much obliged to you 
for calling me a coward ;" this circumstance cannot have escaped 
your memory, so well remembered, and lately repeated, by many 
of the officers in England; the consequence is, your using that 
term is doubly insulting, when it clearly appears there was 
no falsehood stated. Before I go further, I must say, I do 
not expect to find any honourable man cloak himself (when 
he has done wrong), either by his rank, or by subterfuge ; I 
therefore do not expect you will do either. I cannot but be 
surprised at your second position, after perusing Captain Mins's 
papers and letters, that you should think of stating, he tried 
to avoid a court-martial; for by his letters, &c, it appears, 
he was most anxious to get one, and failed in every attempt 
to obtain a fair one, and not to have a court composed of 
all kinds of persons, put into the temporary command of ships 
by yourself, for the purpose, and without commissions, which 
I see, by the printed instructions for the navy, is irregular. 
It appears to me (for I must be frank and plain) that it is 
not honourable of you to insinuate, that the acquittal he got 
at the Portuguese court-martial (which it appears he felt would 
be better then none at all, although he is still anxious and 
ready to appear before any other court) was only for want of 
proof ; for both your and my experience of the Portuguese cus- 
toms, would teach us that such is the invariable manner of 
putting it in the Gazette ; remember Captain Rose as an instance 
in the Navy. I have read Captain Mins's acquittal, and a more 
full and honourable one I never heard of; as also the whole 
of the proceedings, which Captain Mins has had printed, and 
widely circulated, with all the letters and papers respecting 
it, particularly the log-book, the letter the seamen wrote him, 
and all that was said by him and them, as taken down by his 



APPENDIX. 



351 



officers at the time, and by them given to him in writing. 
" Your own conscience will dictate to you what must be thought of 
it all, and every one must consider the log-book as most likely to 
be a true statement." In consequence of the circumstances which 
followed it, and from the officers themselves, I have no reason to 
believe Captain Mins has any stains on his character since en- 
tering the British Navy, except, perhaps, the circumstance of a 
quarrel with a Mid, upwards of twenty years ago, which, although 
it cannot reflect any credit on him, at the same time I am 
most certainly of an opinion, it has done him no harm ; and 
must again express my surprise, that a brave man should en- 
deavour to screen himself with such a circumstance as a cockpit 
quarrel. Again, Captain Mins was (it clearly appears) dis- 
charged from his ship, which discharge he has at this moment, 
signed by the Senior Lieutenant ; therefore had a most perfect 
right to go where he chose, consequently, common justice would 
forbid your saying he deserted his ship. Having now finished 
with your letter, I must remark, there are many other cir- 
cumstances : your charge respecting the money from the prize 
cannot be mistaken ; it seems very clearly you wish to make 
it appear injurious to him ; in a letter you wrote to the Minister 
of Marine, just before you left, dated the 7th of June last, 
you make some insinuations respecting men, whom you say, 
Captain Mins had money belonging to. I cannot understand 
your conduct, and must candidly confess it appears any thing 
but what I should wish mine to be ; for you, in rather a strange 
way, took possession of all his papers and things, and have 
kept him out of them, thereby preventing him settling his dif- 
ferent accounts. I can bear witness of the seamen's opinion 
of Captain Mins since I have been in town ; for notwithstanding 
he cannot even yet settle with them, as he has not been able 
to recover any of his papers and things ; yet they see him, 
and speak of him in the highest possible terms, and leave him 



352 



APPENDIX. 



by saying, " We are quite sure, Captain Mins, our money is 
safe, and we shall have it when you get your papers which 
the Admiral took from you." I cannot conclude, without saying, 
1 think if you take a view of your proceedings towards Captain 
Mins, you will see that you have acted in a very arbitrary way ; 
remember all that you have done, — you took every thing he 
had: consumed his stock, which was large, for I have seen 
the list ; drank all his wine, &c. ; and, not content with all 
this, you are now endeavouring to destroy his character as 
well as his property. I feel quite sure, some bad adviser must 
have been at your elbow, for judging of you from what Captain 
Mins says, who has repeatedly stated to me, that he cannot 
believe it possible you would act in the way you have from 
yourself, that there must be some mistake, and some great 
and secret enemy ; for he never did you any injury, but supported 
you, as his court-martial shows, before the ship's company; 
however, he certainly did not approve of your naval conduct, 
and, if I may be permitted to add, I fear you will find few 
did. I am, as Captain Mins's friend, most anxious to put 
this matter to rights, and should be most happy to do so ami- 
cably, feeling quite sure his conduct has been most clear, and 
that misrepresentations, &c. has done all the harm, and that 
an explanation will put all to rights? — should you be disposed to 
enter into this, I shall do so with the greatest pleasure, and 
should be most happy to put both you and him on the same terms 
as you were before you left England ; and I can honestly assure 
you, I am certain it would be better for both parties, and that 
Captain Mins's feeling towards you is more surprise and wonder, 
than any thing else, mixed with a great anxiety to know the 
truth, and the cause, of what he says is so strange and unaccount- 
able. You cannot for a moment suppose it will lower the dignity 
of either to explain matters, and you must see the necessity of 
Captain Mins making every thing public, if something does not 



APPENDIX. 



353 



settle it ; and I assure you his papers and documents appear to 
me to be most clear and satisfactory, and his officers' opinions to 
him in writing, respecting every circumstance, will bear his cha- 
racter clear from any stains during the time he was under your 
command. I will not advise, yet I will hope, you will think you 
may be mistaken, and therefore consent freely to come to some 
understanding ; with this wish I will conclude, by requesting 
you will give me an early answer, as it will be absolutely necessary 
for Captain Mins and myself, as his friend, to take any step the 
circumstance calls for, in vindication of him, even at the injury of 
others. I left Oporto with Captain Mins — T can positively assert, 
from my own knowledge, that the great cause of his return to 
this country, was (as I before stated) to call you to an account — 
and he is only still remaining here for that purpose, and will 
be obliged to return soon. 

I have the honour to be, Sir, 
August 14th, 1833. Your obedient Servant, 

W. H. BftOWNSON. 

Admiral Sertorius, 

Hotel des Etats Generaux, 
Rue St. Anne, 
a Paris. 



FINIS. 



ERRATA 



*age. 






42 . 


. 21 


for capstan, read, the capstan. 


56 . 


. 21 


before the deficiencies, insert, that. 


63 . 


. 13 


before the launches, insert, that. 


68 


. 15 


after first, read, lieutenant. 


83 


3 


for passes, read, passed. 


98 


. 13 


dele that they. 


100 


. 11 


for sufficiently, read, sufficient. 


108 


. 12 


for it, read, her. 


115 


. 11 


for resigned, read, resign. 


123 


4 


for with captain, read, captain. 


132 


.. 14 


for whom, read, who. 


159 


.. 19 


for of all, read, for all. 


160 


. . 12 


for my men will, read, my men you will. 


165 


.. 14 


for would, read, could. 



LONDON : 

PRINTED BY T. BRETTELL, RUPERT STREET, HAYMARKET. 



T19 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




